Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Father and King, thank you for revealing your will to human beings who could convey it in words we can understand. Thank you for taking average everyday men and women and making them vessels of your holy truth. Give me a heart that yearns for truth and a will that seeks to conform to your revealed will. I want you to be honored in my words and actions. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

Jesus went to the area of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus said to his followers, "I am the Son of Man. Who do the people say I am?" The followers answered, "Some people say you are John the Baptizer. Other people say you are Elijah. And some people say that you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets. " Then Jesus said to his followers, "And who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered, "You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah. No person taught you that. My Father in heaven showed you who I am. So I tell you, you are Peter. And I will build my church on this rock. The power of death will not be able to defeat my church. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. When you speak judgment here on earth, that judgment will be God's judgment. When you promise forgiveness here on earth, that forgiveness will be God's forgiveness." Then Jesus warned his followers not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

Related Scripture Readings

You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ himself is the most important stone in that building. That whole building is joined together in Christ. And Christ makes it grow and become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Christ you people are being built together with the other people (the Jews). You are being made into a place where God lives through the Spirit.

Then Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I praise you because you have hidden these things from the wise and smart people. But you have shown these things to people that are like little children. Yes, Father, you did this because this is what you really wanted to do. "My Father has given me all things. No person knows the Son—only the Father knows the Son. And no person knows the Father—only the Son knows the Father. And the only people that will know about the Father are those people the Son chooses to tell.

{The believers continued to meet together.} They used their time to learn the teaching of the apostles. The believers shared with each other. They ate together and prayed together.