The Keys to Finishing Well

The Keys to Finishing Well

God has given us the keys to the Kingdom.

What hearts are you unlocking?

 Do you know what item is most commonly

found in a junk drawer?

Flashlights? Screws? Dead Batteries? Chinese food menu?

The answer is old keys.

A few weeks ago we got rid of old keys

we thought we had no longer needed.

Now we only have 44 old keys

in our junk drawer.

WOW!

So many locks we don’t use.

Are they important?

I guess so.

Some are spare keys and others for luggage.

We have a lot of locks

that we have not opened or closed

in a long time.

As I counted the keys,

the ones that caught my attention

were the luggage keys.

I love to use those keys

but we did not get to use them this year.

As I think about how many keys we have,

I wonder how many keys God has given us.

He said, He would give us the keys to the kingdom.

How many of those keys never were used in 2014.

Each key opens the door for

righteousness, peace and joy.

How many treasures never got opened

because they are kept in a junk drawer.

God has given you keys to the hearts of others

so His righteousness, peace and joy

can enter into their lives.

So how many keys will you use in 2015?

 Scripture Reading

Matthew 16:13-20 NIV

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi,

he asked his disciples,

"Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 

14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist;

others say Elijah; and still others,

Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

15 "But what about you?"

he asked.

"Who do you say I am?" 

16 Simon Peter answered,

"You are the Christ,

the Son of the living God."

17 Jesus replied,

"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,

for this was not revealed to you by man,

but by my Father in heaven.

18 And I tell you that you are Peter,

and on this rock I will build my church,

and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven;

whatever you bind on earth

will be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth

will be loosed in heaven."

Romans 14:17-20 NIV

17 For the kingdom of God

is not a matter of eating and drinking,

but of righteousness, peace and joy

in the Holy Spirit,

18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way

is pleasing to God and approved by men.

19 Let us therefore make every effort

to do what leads to peace

and to mutual edification.