~ Jesus taught obedience (Mt. 7:21-23; 28:20; Lk. 6:46).

~ Jesus taught that unless we believe in Him, we will die in our sins (Jn. 10:31-39). 

~ He taught repentance (Lk. 13:3; 24:46-47). 

~ He taught confessing Him before others (Mt. 10:32-33).

~ He taught baptism as a necessity (Mt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15-16; Jn. 3:5). 

~ He teaches faithfulness unto death (Rev. 2:10).    

Dear Lord, I am grateful for everything You have done, everything You are doing now, and for all the promises You have made to Your people. Please grant me wisdom and courage to do and say what is required of me. There are moments when I feel insecure about my capabilities, and times when I have been proud and gone against Your instruction. Help me to humbly accept whatever Your word reveals for me to do. If I look to Jesus, I can have confidence in my salvation and everything that I say and do. Lord, my desire is to follow Jesus, and I want to help others do the same. I pray that You will strengthen me in this. Thank You, Lord.

1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 

3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 

4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.

~ 2 Corinthians 5:1-4

Holy God, as I age, I look forward to casting down life’s challenges and seeing Jesus. Even still, I want to have a stronger hope in eternal things! 

You have given me the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of eternal life and my resurrection. My aim is to please You and live for Christ. I devote my life to the One who died for me and rose again. Thank You for reconciling me through the gospel message. 

I am grateful to You for the apostles and prophets of the first century who selflessly gave up their comforts, and even their very lives, for the sake of spreading the gospel. Their sacrifices were a part of Your ultimate plan, so that even today I can benefit from their efforts. Grant me the ability to comprehend the beauty of their sacrifices and to understand the difficulties they faced, so that I may follow in their footsteps. They dedicated their efforts for Your sake, and I am privileged to have access to the mystery of the revelation of Jesus Christ because of their work. 

Help me to think on these things soberly. May these things motivate me to come out from the world, to be separate, to not touch what is unclean. Dear God, I long to have the kind of closeness with You, that a son has with his father. I humbly ask for your guidance and protection as I navigate through this life. Amen.

7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 

8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 

9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 

10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 

11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.

12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— 

13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 

15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 

16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 

17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 

18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

~ 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

Moses did not cover his face to prevent people from seeing the radiance that was on him after being in God’s presence. Rather, he covered his face to conceal the fading of that radiance. The old covenant had an inferior glory that was destined to fade away and not remain permanent. However, with the new covenant, the veil is removed, and the glory remains forever (Compare Exodus 34:29-35)!

Holy God, Father, in heaven. I am thankful for the covenant that has been established in the blood of Jesus Christ. It is truly a hope of enduring spiritual glory and life! As you mentioned, this new covenant is of the spirit and not of the letter, and it is the ministration of righteousness. It’s amazing to know that it endures and does not fade away. Father, please enable me with boldness to do Your will. May You help me to be truly transformed into the image of Jesus, the Christ. May His grace and mercy guide me every day and help me to become more like Him. Amen.

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 

6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 

7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 

10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

~ 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Dear God and Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. It is crucial to always remember that having love is of the utmost importance, regardless of any abilities I may possess in service to You. I pray that You help me understand the true nature of Your love, experience it in my life, and be complete in it. Furthermore, I pray that I can demonstrate the appropriate love towards all fellow men, women, and children. I am grateful for the opportunity to read Your completed revelation and ask that You enable me to continue learning and growing, until fully comprehending all things.

During the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry (before the death, burial, and resurrection) Greeks came to Jerusalem for the Passover, possibly as proselytes or God-fearers. Somehow these Greeks met Philip of Bethsaida, one of the twelve, and they said, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip told Andrew about the Greeks’ request, and they both informed Jesus. Although it’s not mentioned if the Greeks were present, it’s likely since they asked to see Jesus.

23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. 27 Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” (John 12:23-31, NKJV)

Jesus recognized that His greatest purpose was to die for the sins of humanity, a long-awaited and carefully planned event in the scheme of redemption. Those Greeks who sought Him had the privilege of hearing His wonderful message, while sitting at Jesus’ feet! Do His beautiful words resonate in our hearts? We, too, wish to see Jesus!

O, Lord of hosts, throughout history, people have had their own ideas about how Jesus should look and act. May we put our preconceived notions aside and see Him as He truly is.

Lord God and Father, there is no God in heaven or above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. The Scriptures provide us with a clear picture of Jesus. By studying and reflecting on them, we gain a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and how to live our lives. May You grant us the wisdom and insight to see Jesus in every page of the Scriptures.

Blessed be the Lord God of all, for He has visited and redeemed His people. O, Lord, open our eyes, our ears, our hearts, and our minds. We wish to see Jesus and be in your presence, forever! Amen.