Good morning,
How rich are you? Do you think about richness in terms of money? In terms of blessings here on earth? Material things? The following scripture references point to richness that comes through Jesus Christ.
I know Kathy and I express gratitude to God for His blessings here on earth. Our children and grandchildren, a roof over our heads, health and healthcare, transportation, meaningful opportunities to contribute in retirement, service opportunities that allow us to serve God, loving communities that we belong to and more…
I know Kathy and I sometimes struggle when we experience painful situations, difficulties and loss. Maybe we should acknowledge God as the source of all of this…what we call “good” and “bad”. It is all shaping who we are in Christ. Praise Him in good circumstances – and in bad?
Yes! Count our riches, not as the world counts riches…but as God counts riches.
All that we have here, experience here, if we remain centered on Christ in our lives, in how we live with each other, this really leads to true richness in heaven when we meet our Creator. We even experience part of that richness here on earth when we receive God’s mercy and grace in giving our lives to Christ, through rebirth.
So what are some of God’s riches provided to us? These riches we receive now and/or in eternity include:
These verses shared today just struck a note in thinking about how the world can twist the idea of what being rich means. We - each of us in Christ - we are rich – now – and eternally – in the riches only God can provide – the only riches that matter.
Lord Jesus, my prayer for each of us as we enter this weekend is that we live according to your words in Matthew 6:19-20 - 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Amen!
Have a weekend filled with the Peace that comes from knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Patrick
How rich are you? Do you think about richness in terms of money? In terms of blessings here on earth? Material things? The following scripture references point to richness that comes through Jesus Christ.
- Ephesians 2:6-7 “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”
- Ephesians 2:4-5, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.”
- Ephesians 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
- Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.”
- Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
I know Kathy and I express gratitude to God for His blessings here on earth. Our children and grandchildren, a roof over our heads, health and healthcare, transportation, meaningful opportunities to contribute in retirement, service opportunities that allow us to serve God, loving communities that we belong to and more…
I know Kathy and I sometimes struggle when we experience painful situations, difficulties and loss. Maybe we should acknowledge God as the source of all of this…what we call “good” and “bad”. It is all shaping who we are in Christ. Praise Him in good circumstances – and in bad?
Yes! Count our riches, not as the world counts riches…but as God counts riches.
All that we have here, experience here, if we remain centered on Christ in our lives, in how we live with each other, this really leads to true richness in heaven when we meet our Creator. We even experience part of that richness here on earth when we receive God’s mercy and grace in giving our lives to Christ, through rebirth.
So what are some of God’s riches provided to us? These riches we receive now and/or in eternity include:
- God raised us up with Christ – our salvation
- Gave us riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Jesus Christ
- God – who greatly loves us, is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ
- Provided forgiveness of sin – us dead in transgressions --by grace we have been saved
- God blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ
- Peace with God – a personal relationship
- God will meet all our needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus
These verses shared today just struck a note in thinking about how the world can twist the idea of what being rich means. We - each of us in Christ - we are rich – now – and eternally – in the riches only God can provide – the only riches that matter.
Lord Jesus, my prayer for each of us as we enter this weekend is that we live according to your words in Matthew 6:19-20 - 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Amen!
Have a weekend filled with the Peace that comes from knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Patrick
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