Luke 13:23

Title: Someone asked him

Those who would follow the Lord Jesus would do so knowing full well that they are entering the kingdom of God, on a path not of their choosing. The way doesn’t end anywhere on earth or to any of its luxuries and benefits; the way leads to righteousness, because at the end of the day only the righteous would remain standing at the gates of the kingdom of heaven.

Philippians 1:5

Title: Your partnership in the gospel

If a Christian assembly is not immersed in the cause of the gospel, it has no other reason to be of one mind and, although meeting regularly in a common place, is really aimless and disunited. The congregation of the Lord Jesus should constantly breathe the gospel. Every nook and cranny of its organization, every joint and seam, every part should exude the good news, even possess a sacrificial attitude toward it, because it is the only hope for a condemned world, and those who would profit from it are adversely opposed to it.

Psalm 14:1

Title: There is no God

Have we ever wondered why there is no controversy, no debate, on the existence of an object that is both a triangle and a square in its constitution? Because no such thing exists! Similarly, the mind finds no possibility for a reality that contradicts its own perfection.

The mere fact that there is debate whether a Creator exists induces the faculties of reasoning to acknowledge the possibility of the First Cause, which would be logical even to a fool.

2 Peter 3:10

Title: Everything will be laid bare

A Christian should miss nothing in this life, because he will not be returning to the same world, which will be destroyed, the earth and all things in it. Instead he should let go of material things beyond what he needs, since he has everything to look forward to in eternity anyway.

Hebrews 4:13

Title: Everything is uncovered

We all live on a planet we cannot leave, and there is a God we cannot hide or flee from. To talk about freedom limits us to where God wants us to be and what he wants us to accomplish in accordance with his will for our lives and for his creation. No one in his right mind would fail to see the influence and control God has over all he has spoken into being and our responsibility to obey Him, whether we recognize it or not, on pain of condemnation.

John 2:10

Title: You have saved the best till now

Withholding the valuable and beautiful and virtuous for last is wisdom from God. Man would rather have the finest here and now; he is concerned with nothing but the present convenience.

We have not seen the best of Christianity yet, because it anticipates the elimination of sin, and the reign of the Lord Jesus. Therefore we can be patient for the hope that all circumstances of life, including those we have no explanations for, will be reset to the former state of creation when there were only the valuable and the beautiful and the virtuous.

Matthew 5:23

Title: If you are offering your gift at the altar

All of life is a religious ritual. Let us not be misled into thinking that there is a distinction between formal worship and day to day life, for there is none. We can only glorify God in the same way we deal with the least of men. In reality we can only love God if we have determined in our hearts not to take revenge on those who have wronged us.