(Jesus continued) “For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25
Thank You Lord that our life is safe in You.
Thank You for Your guidance and directions that keep us on Your pathway.
Lord we are enfolded in Your love and we thank You.
Thank You Lord.
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Then Jesus told His disciples, “If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”
Matthew 16:24
Lord I wonder if Your disciples totally understood what You were saying to them. I wonder if I totally understand this verse. Take up my cross….deny myself…and when doing that follow You. Make You my focal point. Make You my earthly desire. Choose You over what I want to do in life if it is different than what I know You want me to do….deny myself.
Lord what my learning curve has shown me as I have walked with You is that You have all the answer for my walk with You. Your way is far better than my way. Your way is the way of peace and joy. Your way brings true happiness that lasts more than just for the moment.
Cross – thank You…..Deny……thank You…..Peace ……thank You…..Joy…..thank You….Happiness….thank You…..all mine for following You.
Thank You Lord. Thank You.
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And Peter took Him (Jesus) and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me for you are not on the side of God, but of men.” Matthew 16:22, 23
Lord, Peter didn’t want to hear that You would die. It is no different than what we would do to a friend that we loved. We would tell them to stop thinking that way. All would be fine. But You knew why You came Lord. You knew what would happen to You. You came for us.
Thank You Lord for knowing what would happen in the end and still coming to earth to die for us.
Thank You for being our example.
We love You Lord and thank You.
Thank You Lord.
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(Jesus continued) Then He (Jesus) strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show His disciple that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Matthew 16:20, 21
Thank You Lord that all of this was done for us. What must Your disciples have thought when You shared these things with them. Before when with You they saw many miracles. Now the picture You were painting for them was not very bright.
Thank You for Christmas. Thank You for coming to earth to be our example. Thank You for dying for our redemption. Thank You for the hope You give us in knowing that some day You will come again and we will spend all eternity with You.
Oh how blessed we are to be Your children.
Thank You Lord.
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(Jesus continued to talk with Peter) “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
Lord, Peter was a man in that time just as we are men and women of this time in life. He had shortcomings and he had gifts just as we today have shortcomings and gifts. You have given each of us special talents and gifts to use for You. Peter was given the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven.’ We have that today and so much more knowledge about You.
Oh how we rejoice in all You are and all You want to be in our lives.
Thank You for Your peace and Your joy. Thank You!
Thank You Lord.
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And Jesus answered him, (Peter) “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 16:17
Thank You Lord for the faith to believe like Peter who You truly are. There was no doubt in Peter’s mind who You were. There is no doubt in our minds who You are Lord but we have been given the rest of the story. Oh, we haven’t seen You come back to earth yet but we anxiously await that happening. We know You will come again just as You promised.
Thank You for showing all of us who You are and why You came to earth. What a wonderful season we are in right now of rejoicing in Your birth. Oh how we thank and praise You.
Thank You Lord! Thank You.
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Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13 – 16
Lord You saw there hearts and You knew their thoughts but You wanted to hear them voice it. There is something about saying things out loud that makes us own our words. There was no doubt in their minds – they knew who You were.
Thank You Lord for giving us the faith to believe so there are no doubts in our minds.
Thank You for helping us get to know You better every day.
Oh how blessed we are that You would chose to walk and talk with us.
Thank You Lord.
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(Jesus continued talking with His disciples.) “How is it that you fail to perceive that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 16:11, 12
Lord thank You for teaching us.
Thank You for opening our eyes to see Your truths today just as You opened the eyes of Your disciples.
Thank You for being there to guide and direct us each step of our journey.
Thank You Lord.
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(Jesus continued talking with His disciples who were concerned that they didn’t bring any bread.) “Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets you gathered?” Matthew 16:9, 10
Lord how easy it is for us to forget how You took care of us when we needed You the most. The disciples had seen these great miracles and yet they still questioned Your ability to provide for their physical hunger.
Thank You Lord for always meeting our needs.
Thank You for helping us believe.
Oh how blessed we are Lord and we thank You for our peace.
Thank You Lord.
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When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “Oh men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Matthew 16:5 – 8
Lord You were trying to teach Your disciples that You were able to meet all their needs. They were just not getting it at all. They were questioning ….they were trying very hard to figure out what they were going to do without bread. You tried to help them understand that You were able to meet every need.
Thank You Lord that You are able to meet all our needs today.
Thank You that there are times when You also give us our ‘wants.’
Thank You for allowing us to be Your children.
Oh how blessed we are Lord because You love us.
Thank You Lord! Thank You.
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