Words from the Rock
And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.
Matthew 16:19 Message
It’s an awesome feeling when your parents hand you the keys to the car for the first time. But what Jesus gives to Peter (after hearing Peter’s correct answer) is far better. Jesus is handing over the keys to God’s kingdom, promising Peter that he can open all doors and that there will be nothing to separate him from heaven. His words on earth will have the same weight in heaven. What a deal! And all this just because Peter knows who Jesus is—because he understands that Jesus is God’s Son, the one who has come to save the world. Peter’s reward is the keys to the kingdom.
Guess what? The same reward is offered to anyone who acknowledges Jesus in the same way Peter did. We all have equal access to the kingdom keys, but some people get confused. They think if they have the keys to the kingdom, it’ll be like having a magic wand that they can wave, and whatever they want will be theirs. Wrong.
The real key is knowing Jesus—and when we truly know Jesus, all we want to do is what he wants us to do. As a result, our “yes” on earth really does become a “yes” in heaven. When we ask for something, we receive it—because our goal is to do things according to God’s perfect will, not our own.
Naturally, this doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a day-by-day, faith-walking process that is carried out one step at a time.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Help me to really know you so I can have access to your kingdom keys and live my life within your perfect will.
Amen.
Final Word
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 NIV
Stone for the Journey
The more I know God, the more I know his will.