and more

grant the strength to do what we should, and the wisdom to know what we ought
the less you need Him, the more you need Him
angels have fallen, yet sinful man can be saved
if David had seen the birth of Messiah, every day would have been Christmas
His gift is freely offered, open your heart, turn from the world, and gratefully receive the grace that no one could ever earn
the slightest, faintest, infinitesimal glimmer from a billion miles away of the infinite holiness of God would surely change your life forever
God's viewpoint of seeing us as His children seems more powerful and secure than the same relationship seen from the child's viewpoint
as Christ washed the apostles' feet, He would do much more for them the next day
angels must have fallen to their knees in awe at the grace of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, making salvation possible for sinful man
man thinking himself good, would in his self-sufficiency and pride be putting himself as God
turn from a fallen world, and turn toward the joyful hope of eternity with God in a holy heaven, through His overwhelming grace
one is willing to sacrifice much for those loved most
Christ first, all else wait in line
without light, we are all blind
what is lost in the fall from Eden seems less about losing paradise and more about losing the original relationship with God
man can become willingly enslaved to that he loves, love God first
what is true wealth? the rich man would not give up possessions to follow Christ. then, how much less would he risk relationships with loved ones to follow Christ?
forgive others and ask forgiveness
man created in the image of God, with eternal soul, through salvation is given the right to become a child of God
if eternal angels are created by God directly, how is it that fallen man can multiply and yield billions of eternal souls
why cling to a flawed and sinful stubborn will, when eternal joy and unspeakable riches are available through Christ
prophecy in the word of an almighty God seems less about foreseeing the future and more about speaking that future into existence, where only time must pass for it to be so
the Genesis creation of man in God's image seems to have also prophetic implication in the incarnation of Christ and resurrected eternal glorified body
man in God's image seems to also be implied by God walking in the garden in Genesis, and by resurrected Christ in the new heaven and new earth
the notion of man in God's image seems to also have strong spiritual/relational dimension as Christ refers to His brethren talking to Mary post resurrection
among immortal beings, created angels do not marry (Mat22:30), yet man produces offspring with immortal souls
as God loved apostle Paul, yet he was imprisoned, flogged, and stoned, but he rejoiced in eternal things and treasure in heaven, so consider God's love and Paul's earthly travails
as one needs bread to sustain mortal life, one needs Christ, the bread of life, to have eternal life

“We can stand affliction better than we can prosperity, for in prosperity we forget God.” ascribed elsewhere to D.L. Moody

Heavenly Father, all glory and thanks be to You,
how we love You and long to be with You,
how short we fall, how great we need Your grace.
Your will be done, and until You call us home,
grant us the strength and wisdom to serve You,
by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Holy Father in heaven,
how we love and worship You,
grant us wisdom and strength to walk according to Your will in Christ,
thank You for Your saving grace,
until Your Son comes again in glory.