The disciples came to Jesus and asked Him who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven? His response must have shocked them. He called a little child and placed the child among them, and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven," (Matthew 18:3).

Men, including the disciples, enjoy prestige, status, power, and first place. They strive for these things in business, church and sports. None of these are bad in themselves, but man's lust for being the best makes them vulnerable to pride and arrogance, things Jesus hates. He loves the innocence of little children--they do not worry but trust their parents for all they need.

That's what Jesus is talking about. He wants us to surrender all we care about to Him. He wants  to have a relationship with us. He goes before us to lead us, with us to encourage us and behind us to protect us. He is faithful. He is always with us and will never leave or forsake us. We can talk to Jesus like a friend--frank and honest. We can celebrate good times and pour out our broken hearts when we are in despair. 

Think About It
Come near to God in prayer, and He will come near to you. He wants to give you an inheritance starting now. Why should we worry when we have a God who loves and cares for us? Someone who wants to shower blessings on us. His compassions and mercies are new every morning. You can benefit today by reading the Bible. It's one of the ways God talks to us. He also speaks in other ways; through His creation and through His people. You will find love, hope and peace for your soul.

Pray About It
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the gift of Jesus. Thank you for the inheritance you give us--co-heirs with Jesus. Help us to learn who you are through your word, and help us to be like Jesus. In His name, Amen.

While we may look forward to the glory of the Christmas season, it holds much stress for many of us. Will the money come so we can buy gifts for our loved ones? Will we be able to pay our bills and have Christmas too? Do we have to skip Christmas because of a job loss or job relocation? We tend to worry more this time of year than any another.

Jesus said to His disciples, "I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes" (Luke 12:22). He also said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34).

After the Israelites left Egypt, they thought of the food they had to eat even in their slavery and began to grumble because of the lack of food in the desert. God heard their cry and provided bread from heaven in the morning (manna) and meat to eat in the evening (quail). However, they could only gather enough for each day's needs. If they gathered more, the food spoiled (Exodus 16).

God tells us in His word many times how much He loves us. This is one of my favorite verses:
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness ​(Lamentations 3:22).

Think About It
We learn the reality of Lamentations 3:22 when we spend time alone with God every day. We experience new compassions and mercies every day, and if we concentrate on how much God loves us, we feel too blessed to be stressed. Not only does God love us more than we can imagine, He has given us a glorious inheritance. 1 Peter 1:3-4 says, In God's great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. 

Pray About It
Thank you, Lord, for your great love for us, for the hope of spending an eternity with you. When trouble comes, help us to focus on your presence and faithfulness in our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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