Faithful Followers Welcome

• What’s the hardest part about being a Christian in your school, neighborhood, or workplace?

• What do you think heaven will be like? Explain.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 7:21

God didn’t create heaven as a club for people who say the right password. Many people think they can do a few good deeds and get into heaven. Their goal is to get into heaven by the skin of their teeth. They figure heaven is the reward for their efforts.

That’s not how God figures it, though. It’s not easy to follow God’s will in this world. We have to resist sins that other people enjoy. We might have to put up with people making fun of us and accusing us of being narrow-minded and unloving. We sometimes live as foreigners in a place where other people feel at home.

God understands our difficulties. He’s with us every step of the way. He knows what we go through. But he’s here to help us. He rewards us with his presence, grace and forgiveness in this life, and we look forward to heaven in the next. When you think about it, that’s an unbeatable deal.

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for giving us so much to look forward to. When things get rough on earth, remind us of what lies ahead. Amen.