Month: April 2023

April 30 – John 20:16

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John 20:16

I love the imagery of Jesus as our Good Shepherd. And how each of us knows His voice when He calls our name. It was Mary’s name, spoken by the Lord, which opened her eyes to the truth. And upon seeing the truth, she fell at the feet of Jesus holding tightly and refusing to let go. For she wasn’t about to lose Him again! But gently Jesus rebuked Mary. Telling her not to cling to Him for He had not yet ascended to the Father. Not trying to be harsh, the Lord was teaching Mary, and us, that no longer would He be known by sight or by touch. But rather by faith. From them on, all who followed Christ were to rely on their trust and belief in Him and His teachings to guide their hearts and lives. Oh how wonderful it would to see Jesus in person. And one day we will. But until then we rely on our deep faith that He is who He says He is, His promises are true, and His love everlasting.

April 29th – Colossians 4:2

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Colossians 4:2

There’s no quicker way to get out of a stale relationship with God than to have a purposeful, meaningful, and dedicated prayer life. Some Christians definitely have God’s anointing when it comes to prayer. They pray easily, fervently, and persistently. And their prayers are filled with complete assuredness that God will answer their pleas. But for others, prayer doesn’t some so easily. To them prayer may feel awkward, or they worry they’re doing it wrong. Still others are too proud or too ashamed to come before the Lord. But far from a duty, prayer is privilege reserved for God’s chosen. It’s a direct line of communication and unbreakable bond between the Father and His children. There is no special formula, ritual, or words that have to be said. All God wants is for us to come to Him in complete and humble faith. Through the blood of Jesus Christ we have unlimited access to the Father and His throne. And He wants to hear from us!

 

April 28th – 1 John 2:15

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1 John 2:15

I used to struggle when I would read John telling believers to love God and each other, but not the things of the world. Because what about my loved ones? Is it a sin to want to both be with God and to stay in the world with them? But then I learned that when John was speaking of the world, he didn’t mean the people in it. But rather the sinful system of values and beliefs that are opposed to God’s will. If we are in love with a society that promote selfishness, pride, materialism, and other worldly values, we can’t be in love with the Lord. And we won’t be dedicated to living lives that glorify Him and seeing His will done. When it comes to worldly living, I love what evangelist John Wesley has to say. “The best means of resisting the devil is, to destroy whatever of the world remains in us, in order to raise for God, upon its ruins, a building all of love. Then shall we begin, in this fleeting life, to love God as we shall love him in eternity.”

April 27th – John 15:19

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John 15:19

The pull of sin is a strong one. And each day is a fight to remain in Jesus and bear faithful fruit for His kingdom. To obediently live a life separate from the wickedness of the world. And to be known by that world as not one of their own. Why? Because we have been chosen by the hand of God Himself. Chosen out of this world to be soldiers in His army. As such, we are to daily put on our uniform of the armor of God, ready to do battle. (Eph. 6:10-18) Yet Jesus warns that because we follow His ways and not the sinful ways of the world, we will hated for His sake. That’s why we shouldn’t be surprised when we face opposition or persecution because of our faith. Rather, we should consider it an honor to suffer for our Lord who suffered unto death for us. And have joyful hearts knowing that Jesus has chosen and called us out of the world, and to Him do we belong!

April 26th – Acts 3:19

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Acts 3:19

Peter tells us that in order to receive forgiveness for our sins, we need to repent from our wickedness. But to repent means more than just apologizing for sinning. Because God isn’t looking for lip action. He’s looking for true, life changing action. For repentance includes transformation. Repent is from the Greek root word metanoeō. And it means to have a complete change of heart. To have a new way of thinking that God’s way is the right way. Surrendering and following Him completely. In His great mercy, when we repent the Lord promises to wipe our slate clean. Removing our sins as far as the earth is from the west. (Ps. 103:12) But as wonderful as that is, forgiveness isn’t the only benefit we receive from repentance. Peter also promises that times of refreshing will come from repenting before the Lord. Because when we turn towards God and receive His forgiveness, we receive a renewal in our lives as we walk closer with Him.

April 25th – Psalm 146:1

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Psalm 146:1

Many are the reasons to give God the glory. Creator and Ruler of all things, He champions the weak, fathers the orphans, heals the afflicted, and blesses all who put their hope in Him. Everyday there are reasons to give thanks to the Lord. And God covets the praise of His people. But not for His benefit. For ours. Because I know for me, no matter how low I feel or bad the circumstance, nothing soothes my soul like giving glory to God. It brings peace to my troubled mind. Joy to my hurting heart. And brings me close to my Abba, Father, who welcomes me with open arms of love. Most of all praising the Lord humbles me. For it reminds me of how much I fail God daily and still somehow, He wants me anyway. How could such an amazing and unmerited love not make my heart burst with songs of worship and thanksgiving!

April 23rd – 2 Timothy 1:9

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2 Timothy 1:9

Whenever I would hear people talk about how they found God’s purpose for their lives, I felt jealous. I didn’t understand why God made their paths straight and clear while mine was crooked and murky. Did they have some special phone line to Heaven that I didn’t? Why were they part of the “it” crowd while I remained on the outside looking in? I was so caught up in finding out what God had planned for me, that I forgot what His calling is truly about. It isn’t what I can do for God, but rather what God can do both for me and through me for others. God has personally set each of us apart to have a close personal relationship with Himself. And He desires hearts that earnestly seek His will above all else. Those who joyfully spend time daily with Him and in His Word, and are open to being used by Him. Answering God’s call means submitting every area of our lives to the Lord and being obedient to the direction of His Spirit’s leading. Knowing that there is no greater calling than bringing  glory to His name!

April 23rd – Ephesians 1:4

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Ephesians 1:4

Women are constantly bombarded with the ridiculous and unattainable expectations of the world. Through television, movies, and social media, daily we are told that our worth is dependent upon our looks, talents, and how many followers and likes we can get. So when our own lives seem to fall short in comparison, no wonder we find ourselves depressed and envious. But today’s society is a fickle bunch whose tastes and ideals are constantly changing. And the truth is that no one can obtain the false perfection that it eagerly worships. That’s why we need to quit looking for our worth through the superficial eyes of the world. Because true self worth comes from not from a worldly identity, but rather a godly one. We are daughters of the most high God. And there is no Hollywood trophy, social media following, nor worldly accolade that could compare with the value of knowing one day we will spend eternity dwelling and reigning with the Lord.

April 22nd – John 18:11

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John 18:11

Jesus prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane that God would remove the cup of the Cross from Him. But when God’s answer was no, Jesus let nothing stand between Him and that cup. Lovingly and willingly, our Lord saw the will of the Father done at the expense of His life. So in light of His precious gift, we need to take a long, hard look at our hearts, minds, and lives to see if they honor Christ and His sacrifice. Do we go to church and with our minds say He is Lord but not with our hearts? Do we call Him King only as a way to achieve our own thrones? When I search my own heart, I am ashamed. Because more times than I care to count I have displayed behavior that brought pain to the One who gave everything He had for me. But you know what? Jesus loves me anyway. He wants me anyway. He joyfully calls me His own when I could never be worthy of Him. And knowing Him has given me a joy and peace that, although I do not deserve, am thankful for every day.


April 21st – Revelation 16:9

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Revelation 16:9

Throughout the book of revelation you see a people with a hardened heart against God. And for the life me, I couldn’t understand why they would choose suffering over joy, death over eternal life, and judgement over blessing. But the more I reflected the more I realized that I have had an unrepentant heart wanting its own will done instead of God’s. I too have turned my back on Him, choosing instead to continue to walk in sin. And I have cried out against the Lord when I haven’t gotten my own way. So I can honestly tell you the path of rebellion which takes you away from God leads to nothing but despair, loneliness, sorrow, and regret. Yet when you choose to walk in faith and obedience to His will, God will bless you beyond imagining, take you places your heart couldn’t dare hope for, and protect you from the wrath to come.