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32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Luke 12:32-40 NIV Bible)
Good day, dear Friend, may this find you enjoying life as the richest person in your area! If not, may it get you on the way to realizing how truly rich you are! May we journey together and pray for the good needed in the world; healing for the sick, love for the heartbroken, light to those in darkness, and joy to the sorrowful. Pray for one another, pray for your needs, and pray for God's will to be done.
On Saturday, one man woke up to realize that he was now one of the richest people in his area. I'm talking about money for one person won one of the biggest lotteries in history, a figure above $1 Billion. Estimates are that the person would take home a lump sum of just over $600 million, then Uncle Sam would come and take his share, and then the man or woman would be free to use the money as s/he desired. I truly don't know how that man woke up, but I know that I woke up as one of the richest men in my area; not in terms of money, but in terms of what truly matters; love, health, joy, peace, and the knowledge that I belonged to God because Jesus is the Lord and Savior of my life. How about you?
This passage from Luke is all about what truly matters. Jesus says that God intends to give us the kingdom, and this kingdom is about what really matters to God. Money will have no place in it, for Jesus says, "Sell your possessions and give it to the poor." And what we should have are those things that will not wear out but will endure for eternity; our treasure should be in heaven, "that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys." Then the saying that is true, from Jesus, "For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also." If our heart is with God, we have everything, for in God we find true treasure. Ours is to be ready, for service, meaning reaching all we can for the kingdom, and it means being vigilant and strong to face whatever may come against us. Jesus' theme about the end times was to be ready, like "servants waiting for the master to return from a wedding banquet." Those found not ready would miss out.
So, dear friend, count your blessings and praise God for each and every one of them. Yes, some of us may be going through some rough or tough times, but don't despair, God is with us, and God will see us through. We are blessed, and with God's help we can be "more than conquerors through Him who loved us," and nothing will defeat us! Rejoice and take hope!
PRAYER: Awesome Father, into Thy hands we commend ourselves and the trials and woes we are facing, yet trusting You and Your love to see us through all things. Bless this dear reader/listener and see them through to the place where You would have us be; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show your hope to someone who seems to need it!
Receive my blessings of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
