Where will you spend eternity is the focus of our devotional this morning. In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man and where they both ended, one might be tempted to make the mistake of thinking their destinations were determined by just their status here on earth; Lazarus was poor and the other man rich. However, it was more about how they used their status here on earth that determined where they spent eternity. There will be many poor people in hell where this rich man found himself, just as there will be many rich people in heaven where Lazarus went. What is important is how each one of us uses the time here that we have been given. I can immediately draw two conclusions from Abraham's explanation to the rich man. One, you determine where you will spend eternity by your actions here today. For the Old testament people, they had to pay attention to Moses and the prophets, for the us, there is only one way to the Father, Jesus said; "I am the way". Choose Jesus today. Secondly, how we treat others will have eternal consequences for all of us. My advise today is to choose wisely.

What is the cost of being a disciple of Jesus? In our day, the question would be; what is the cost of being a Christian. Jesus answered by saying; "And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple." To carry one's cross meant to be on the road to die. Those who carried crosses died on them. To carry one's cross means to come to the end of living for yourself, you are about to die anyway. Jesus puts it this way; if in comparison, it doesn't feel like you hate or have given up everything when compared to God, you are not carrying your cross. Notice also that each person has to bear their own cross. My question today, have you carried your cross, have you laid it all down for the Master?

The Narrow Door. Jesus said that the door to God's Kingdom is a narrow one. He also said to work hard to enter it (Luke 13:24). That for me raises three vital points to note as I feel he was speaking both about the door and the way that leads to it. One, you can't make it into the kingdom by mistake. You have to enter. That implies it is deliberate. Secondly, it is Narrow, it can be easily missed if you are not looking for it. That says for me that it is not popular and being on it will leave you isolated and different from others. A freak in some people's eyes. Lastly, it will require hardwork. From this lesson, I feel Jesus always intended to teach us that the way to the Kingdom will not be popular compared to the World's way. It will only be found by those who are seeking and looking for it. I pray that you will not miss the Kingdom of God. You will enter through the Narrow door.

In today's devotional, Jesus teaches the disciples to pray and how to. Two concepts immediately stands out for me; the importance of relationship in prayer and the place of consistency or persistence in prayer. Essentially, Jesus was saying, prayer is first and foremost an opportunity for communing with God and building a relationship. Without God being on the other end of the line, you are not praying. Prayer is communicating with your Father. It is speaking and waiting to hear God speak back. Secondly, the consistency part implies for me, the place of having an altar. A place of Koinonia. A place of never giving up. Have you prayed today?

Who is my neighbour? This was the question an expert in religious law asked Jesus. Having understood that the most important commandments was to love God and neighbour. He was essentially saying that anyone could claim they love God by doing superficial things, love for neighbour on the other hand, is more practical. So who is this neighbour; my immediate family members, the person living next door, my friends, etc? Jesus replied using the story of a Jew travelling and being in need, and fellow Jews like him; a priest and Levite, refusing to help until a Samaritan who should normally not have anything to do with a Jew, shows up to help meant Jesus was asking us to break the barriers of culture, tribes, skin colour, etc. in fulfilling this most important commandment; to love.

"I have decided, to follow Jesus" was a very popular song some years back. That song made it seem a choice had to be made to follow him and Jesus will affirm that in today's devotional. Those who lay their hands to the plow of working the fields and then look back tend not to make it. Also, we see two groups of people give completely different response to Jesus today; one group, after seeing the miracle that he did, asked Jesus to please leave. Like we would say in our day; who does that? Who response to miracles with fear? The second group on the other hand were waiting to receive him, they welcomed him, and you can imagine the results. Which group are you; the rejecting Jesus group or the receiving one? I have decided to follow Jesus.

The Beatitudes is a classic teaching series on how a child of God should see and interact with the world. However, my emphasis in today's devotional is on how you can distinguish believers from non believers. Jesus said that; "by their fruits", not by their words or preaching, no, by their actions, by their character, etc. you will know who is the believer or who is not. To illustrate this lesson, take the last story of the chapter where a woman who was cleaning Jesus' feet and the lessons from there, Jesus was essentially saying, those who realize they are sinners and that they have been forgiven much, tend to love others more. They have been shown mercies, they show others the same. On the other hand, those who feel themselves right and righteous and have very little need for God do not, they tend to love less. When you meet believers who have tasted God's mercies and understand they are standing today only by those same mercies, they tend to be more accommodating of others and are forgiving towards faults against them. The opposite also applies, when you meet believers who know very little about the mercies of God, they tend to be judgemental and critical of others. By their fruits you will know them.

HAPPY EASTER everyone. Today, we celebrate and mark the resurrection of Jesus and remember that it was in obedience to God the Father that he not only went to the cross, but he also died. Obedience will not come easy. For some, it is a journey into the wilderness, for others, it is giving up on what is familiar and easy. But for those who desire to see the hand of God move on their behalf, it is a path you must be decided on. In our reading today, we see Peter who in variance to everything he had learned about fishing and being a fisherman, chose to obey Jesus, he said; "AT YOUR WORD, IF YOU SAY SO". Have you decided to obey the Lord like Peter here? HAPPY RESSURECTION MORNING.

"But why did you need to search, he asked, didn't you know I must be in my Father's house." These were the words of Jesus when his parent queried that they had looked everywhere for him. Everywhere else but the one place he was always going to be, in his Father's house. As we mark Easter this weekend, I pray that the Lord will re-awaken in your heart, a thirst for the house and the presence of God. HAPPY EASTER.

Which would you be; a Mary or a Zechariah? Mary and Zechariah represents for us, two responses we can give whenever we receive a word from God. Which was harder in your opinion; a virgin becoming pregnant or an old man and his aged wife conceiving and giving birth? Zechariah and Elizabeth at least had Abraham and Sarah for company but no one has ever heard of a woman becoming pregnant on her own. In other words, Mary's was the harder situation to believe, but she instead, unlike Zechariah, she was the one who believed, why? While there are similarities in their situations, one thing stands Mary out, she was ready to take the angel at his word, Zechariah on the other hand, wanted proof. Never forget, requesting for a fleece is often a sign you either don't know God or you are questioning his integrity. I ask again; in your walk with God, which would you be, a Mary or Zechariah?