YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE! And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” —Luke 23:43 What pictures come to your mind when you think of paradise?  A scenic ocean island in warm climates where the temperature is perfect, no conflict and everything you want is there?  Paradise will be different from a worldly perspective.  It would be described according to what a person finds pleasurable.              Paradise was pleasurable and will be so when we get there.  Heaven will be a paradise and so much better than anything we can imagine.  “However, as it is written: “What no…

JESUS BROKEN FOR US! And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” —Luke 22:19-20 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”  And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.  And being in an agony he…

BE LIKE JESUS Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.  A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.  He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.  When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”  So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.  All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to…

I AM FREE! I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. —Psalm 133:45 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” —John 8:31-32 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. —John 8:36 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. —Galatians 5:1 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live…

REPENTANCE Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. —Luke 15:7 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” —Luke 15:10 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.  And they began to celebrate. —Luke 15:23-24             When you read the parable of “this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” you find a true humility…

WHAT YOU TREASURE REVEALS YOUR HEART’S FOCUS And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.  Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?  If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious…

HEARING AND REJECTING “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” —Luke 10:16             All those people that you have talked to over the years about Jesus and are rejecting the gospel you have told them are not only rejecting you, but they are rejecting the Father and the Son.  On the other hand, all those who listen to what you have to say about Jesus are listening as though they are listening to Jesus Himself.             Take heart!  Yes there are many who will not hear you because they will not…

FULFILL COMMITMENTS I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people. —Psalm 116:14, 18 As a leader in a local church for 25 years and a follower of Jesus for 40 years I have seen many who call on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ not fulfill their commitments they have made to the Lord and to His people.  Is it only in the church that people walk away and drop their commitments or do they do this at their work as well?  Do people often just tell their leader at work, “I am leaving for another job” and leave immediately with unfinished…

UNDERSTANDING FORGIVENESS ENCOURAGES LOVE Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little. —Luke 7:47             Do we understand how much we have been forgiven?  Those who love much are those who have a greater understanding of how much they have been forgiven.  Those who love little do not see how much they have been forgiven.             You might hear someone say, “I lived a pretty good life before I received Jesus into my life.  I did not get into any bad stuff.”  This person does not understand how their “good life” without Jesus was not good. …

RESPONSIBLE FOR CHOICES UNDER THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And all went to be registered, each to his own town.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. —Luke 2:1-5 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. —Psalm 113:4             “In those days” is…