“I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Marvelous words, these, addressing not a long and faithful follower who would endure crucifixion for the sake of His righteousness, but a last minute confessor enduring crucifixion for the sake of his sin.  Christ, Who speaks not condemnation but redemption to death-bound but confessing criminals like us, is the same Who always lives to make intercession for us.  And Christ’s prayers are never refused.  They are the core and creed, sum and substance of our Christian life.  His prayers carry the weight of truth and run deception through, smack down the middle.  Christ intersects our sin with His grace, our shame with His glory, hopelessness with His promises, legalistic living with freedom in Him, the fear of man with the fear of God, condemnation with redemption, death with life.

Is there anything more credible than when Christ says “I tell you the truth?”  Is there any life larger  than the “today with Me in paradise” life? Christ intersects today with His kingdom and, praise God, we are influenced by His intercessory prayers!  We can rejoice saying, “Oh, but I agree with Your prayers for me!”

Author: Carolyn Roehrig

“’I had it in my heart to build…and made preparations to build it. But God said….’” (I Chronicles 28: 2-3).

David had it in his heart to build the temple.  He made preparations for it and, by the hand of God upon his own, the blueprint was architected, the work assigned and the materials weighed for all the articles used in every kind of service in the temple.  He was the chief facilitator of the work.  He gathered, gave, prepared and prayed, but he was not to build.  God chose Solomon his son to build, and clearly David wondered if Solomon knew God, if he would serve Him with a loyal heart and a willing mind, with courage and strength.  As Israel’s king, David led the leaders and requisitely shared his conviction with the king to be, then released all to God in prayer. 

Do you have it in your heart to build something for God?  Is it in your heart to gather the resources and to give over and above from your own special treasure for it?  Is it in your heart to release just as joyfully as you accepted the plan God gave you for the work into the hand of another to do?  And what if, like David, your days came to an end before seeing the completion of what was in your heart to build for God?  If you have a heart like David’s, then it’s in your heart and it’s okay.

Such a heart is interested not in its own ambitions but in God’s plans, in promoting God to others, in praying for and presenting loyal hearts to God, and in leaving behind an inheritance that provides for sons and daughters, households, leaders and kings to come into the presence of God.  He is building in our hearts far more than what we may have in our hearts to build for Him.

Author: Carolyn Roehrig