Our Living Eternal God
The Bible says “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore you eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
“Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6:19-27) Further Readings: Matthew 6:28-34; Matthew 7:1-29.
Life and Judgment are Through the Son of God
“Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:27-29, 35)
Walk in the Light
“Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” (John 12:44-50)
Watch and Pray
“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” “And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So, He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, say the same words.” (Matthew 26:41-44)
Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, tell us, when will these things be? And what will the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that on one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 3-14)
The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep for the goats. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ And these will go way into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25: 31-46)
The Great Commission
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Prayer
Father in heaven, you are the Creator and LORD God who reign forever and over everything in heaven and on earth. Bring peace to all who are overwhelmed with the things in the world who are challenged by the trials in life on earth. Lord God, help us to cast all our cares each day on You knowing that You will never leave us or forsake us. God, please hear our prayers in these end times. Many of those among us need Your presence in their lives. Remind them that You are faithful, true and longsuffering not wanting anyone to parish, but that all should come to repentance. Thank You for Your faithfulness and nearness. Thank You for hearing our cries. Thank You, LORD God, that You are our rock, healer and sustainer and that You will bring our death and mourning to an end soon. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
All Scripture verses are from the NKJV of the Holy Bible.
By
Constance A. Burns, NAAV Spiritual Wellness and Scripture Readings Contributor, email: cburns@naavets.org.