Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Father in heaven, you are holy and majestic. I know that my attempts to be holy are going to be met with failure. I commit to work at being a holy person, but I know that my own efforts, even on my best days, are going to fall short. I thank you for giving me a righteousness beyond my abilities, works, and efforts. Thank you for Jesus, whose sacrifice for me makes me righteous and thank you for the Holy Spirit whose power works on transforming me into your character and holiness. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

People brought their small children to Jesus, so that Jesus could touch them. But the followers told the people to stop bringing their children to Jesus. Jesus saw what happened. He did not like his followers telling the children not to come. Jesus said to them, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people that are like these little children. I tell you the truth. You must accept the kingdom of God like a little child accepts things, or you will never enter it." Then Jesus held the children in his arms. Jesus put his hands on them and blessed them. Jesus started to leave, but a man ran to him and bowed on his knees before Jesus. The man asked, "Good teacher, what must I do to get the life that never ends?" Jesus answered, "Why do you call me good? No person is good. Only God is good. {But I will answer your question.} You know the commands: 'You must not murder anyone, you must not do the sin of adultery, you must not steal, you must not lie, you must not cheat, you must honor (respect) your father and mother

Related Scripture Readings

But the Spirit gives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

So run away from sexual sin. Every other sin that a person does is outside his body. But the person that sins sexually sins against his own body. You should know that your body is a temple (house) for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is in you. You have received the Holy Spirit from God. You don't own yourselves. You were bought {by God} at a price. So honor God with your bodies.

Christ is the head of the body. (The body is the church.) Everything comes from him. And he is the Lord who was raised from death. So in all things Jesus is most important. God was pleased for all of himself to live in Christ. And through Christ, God was happy to bring all things back to himself again—things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace by using Christ's blood (death) on the cross. At one time you were separated from God. You were God's enemies in your minds, because the evil things you did were against God. But now Christ has made you God's friends again. Christ did this by his death while he was in his body. Christ did this so that he could bring you before God. He brings you before God as people who are holy, with no wrong in you, and with nothing that God can judge you guilty of. Christ will do this if you continue to believe in the Good News you heard. You must continue strong and sure in your faith. You must not be moved away from the hope that Good News gave you. That same Good News has been told to all people in the world. I, Paul, help in telling that Good News.