Tag: salvation

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 13:22-30 NLT – the narrow door

Gospel Reading: Luke 13:22-30 NLT

Slimmer's door, Ringwood Church, . This unusually narrow door occupies a rightangled corner formed by the main walls of the church of St Peter & St Paul.
Slimmer’s door, Ringwood Church.
This unusually narrow door occupies a rightangled corner formed by the main walls of the church of St Peter & St Paul, Ringwood, England.

Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”

He replied, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. And people will come from all over the world — from east and west, north and south — to take their places in the Kingdom of God. And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Open my heart to all you have for me today. Change my mind… my attitudes… my habits,.. my actions… to conform to your will.  Forgive my pride in thinking that I know it all… and give me a teachable spirit. Help me to discern between understanding born out of experience… and bias, or prejudice, born out of limited experience. Lord Jesus – It’s my heart’s desire to be true to you… in this life and the life to come. Amen.

Hymn: “I Would Be True” – H. A. Walter (1906)

I would be true, for there are those who trust me; I would be pure, for there are those who care; I would be strong, for there is much to suffer; I would be brave, for there is much to dare.

I would be friend of all — the foe, the friendless; I would be giving, and forget the gift; I would be humble, for I know my weakness; I would look up, and laugh, and love, and lift.

I would be faithful through each passing moment; I would be constantly in touch with God; I would be strong to follow where He leads me; I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod.

Who is so low that I am not his brother? Who is so high that I’ve no path to him? Who is so poor I may not feel his hunger? Who is so rich I may not pity him?

Who is so hurt I may not know his heartache? Who sings for joy my heart may never share? Who in God’s heav’n has passed beyond my vision? Who to hell’s depths where I may never fare?

May none, then, call on me for understanding, May none, then, turn to me for help in pain, And drain alone his bitter cup of sorrow, Or find he knocks upon my heart in vain.

4th Sunday of Easter Reading: Revelation 7.9-17 (NLT) – clothed in white

Reading: Revelation 7.9-17 (NLT)

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar:

“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. They sang,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

white-robeThen one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.”

Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.

“That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Prayer: “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”

Wash me whiter than snow… cleanse me with the blood of the Lamb. And fill my heart, and mind, and soul with praise for Jesus – the Lamb of God – my Shepherd and my Lord.

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Scripture Song: “Salvation belongs to our God” – Petra

Morning Reading: Luke 19:1-10 NLT – seek and save

Reading: Luke 19:1-10 NLT

Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich.

He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.

When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

seek and save the lost
Human Trafficking
Engedi House

Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Open my eyes and my heart to those living around me who are lost. Give me your passion for lost souls… and make me an instrument of your forgiveness, healing and grace. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “I will never be the same again” – Hillsong United

Morning Reading; Philippians 2.12b-16a ESV

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” Philippians 2.12b-16a ESV