Luke 23:43 - Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."
Yesterday morning, I was at the room in a hospital where pastors go to sign in. A person greeted me, nice and cheerful. But, when I asked how they were, they said, "Well, I made it through Monday, and I hope God will help me make it through Tuesday."
And I thought, "Here's another who doesn't understand." So I said, "Ya know, God wants us to more than just make it through a day. That's a weary existence. God wants us to be genuinely joyful in every moment as he lives in us by His Holy Spirit."
The person stopped and said, "Wow! That's exciting! I feel better already! I guess I was just thinking about normal days where it seems we go it alone."
Ah, it seems!
Friends, whatever may seem true to you, here's the truth in today's Bible verse: Today, you will be with Jesus in Paradise.
We tend to hear this as, "Well, someday down the road, when I die, I'll get to be with Jesus. But for now, I hope I can make it through the day like I did yesterday."
But this is what Jesus wants us to hear, "Dear Children of God, whenever I tell you something will be today, it's my promise to you for today. And when you believe my promise, it's immediately your reality in that moment. So, when I promise that today you will be with me in Paradise, if you will believe it, you'll immediately have a joyful Paradise with me. And your weary existence is no more."
And that's the way it is in the whole Bible. Whenever God speaks and uses the words "will" and "today" together, God is making a promise that immediately becomes reality when we believe. God's blessings are right in front of us to claim in faith: His Victory, His Presence, His Preparing the Way, His Prosperity, His Providence, His Provision, His Paradise and more, as are listed in the Bible verses after today's "Praise God!"
So, don't just survive the day; instead, you can thrive today! All you need to do is believe the promises of God, and you will!
Praise God!
Exodus 14:13 - Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again."
Exodus 34:11 - Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the [enemy].
Leviticus 9:4 - For today the Lord will appear to you.
Deuteronomy 9:3 - But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.
Deuteronomy 28:1 - If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
Deuteronomy 30:16 - For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
Joshua 3:7 - And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses."
Psalm 2:7 - I will proclaim the Lord's decree: He said to me, "You are my son; today I have become your father."
Luke 12:28 - If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!
Luke 13:32 - He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.'"
Hebrews 1:5 - For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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