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Daily Inspirational Devotionals
Saved for Heaven I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. (Philippians 3:12) As believers, most of us can readily explain what Jesus saved us from, but how often do we consider what he saved us for? In short, Jesus saved us from eternal condemnation. What he did on the cross saved all who would trust him from the certainty of spiritual death—from an eternity of endless suffering and pain. He saved us from a life of hopelessness and despair—a life of living meaninglessly, day after day, knowing that death will bring even greater misery. Many would call that the Good News, but it’s only a small fraction of it. The greatest part of the story is what Jesus saved us for. He saved us for a life in heaven for eternity. He saved us for the joy of getting to live with him forever, of moving past this world some day and into an existence beyond our wildest imagination. He saved us so that we could have eternal life with no more pain and heartache. He saved us so that we could one day rule with him. “I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be,” says Paul. “No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven” (Philippians 3:12-14). I once made an attempt to share the gospel with a friend, but all I succeeded in doing was to push him farther away from God. My efforts were sincere, but my brand of evangelism left a lot to be desired. I told him all he needed to know about hell but never quite got around to heaven. He left in a huff, and I was left wondering how someone could be so stubborn. If freedom from hell is the only good news we have to share, then we won’t find many people interested in sticking around for the punch line. The gospel of grace is about heaven. It’s about life, not death. It’s about living in eternal happiness, not just escaping eternal hopelessness. It’s about what Jesus has done, not about what Satan wants to do.
Today’s Reading Philippians 3:12-14 Reflection Is your mind set on things above? How do we go about focusing our energies on “what lies ahead”?
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The best-selling Left Behind series has captured the attention of millions of readers, and it has changed lives. It has brought millions of believers the motivation to examine their hearts. Are you ready to embrace eternity? Live each moment as if it could be your last? Your future is more important than your past. Where you are going matters more than where you have been. What you do from this day forward means much more than what you have already done. You may be affected by your past, but you are not defined by it. Not in the eyes of God. What does it mean to embrace eternity? It means grasping each breath as if it could be your last, living life moment by precious moment with your feet planted firmly on earth but your heart aimed squarely at heaven. It means learning to embrace the role of dual citizenship—living in one world while belonging to another. It is a lifestyle of living like there’s no tomorrow and then dying so that your real life can finally begin! This 365-day devotional explores the themes introduced in the Left Behind series—themes of salvation, grace, obedience, and faith. New believers as well as mature believers will find a message of faith that will inspire and motivate daily.
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