April 17 - Fresh and New

 

“What has been will be again,

what has been done will be done again;

there is nothing new under the sun.”

(Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV)

 

Every morning I step into a new facet of my relationship with Jesus. He reveals Himself to me in more ways through different avenues. His presence is new every morning. King Solomon believed nothing was new. What is new for me may be repetition for you. God created each of us to be unique, one-of-a-kind. I like to explore this life with fresh eyes and expect the unexpected. I hope you will, too! 

April 16 - Salvation

 

“Salvation is found in no one else,

for there is no other name under heaven

given to men by which we must be saved.”

(Acts 4:12 NIV)

 

Holley Gerth wrote, “The power that is ours through Christ is limitless and indestructible. If it were converted into electricity, it could light the world for all eternity.” Jesus living in me by the Holy Spirit not only saves me from myself but uses me in His kingdom to bring others to salvation. I will accept the limitless power He offers today. I hope you will, too! 

Grit and Grace

 by Macy Johnson

“For I hear the slander of many;

there is terror on every side;

they conspire against me

and plot to take my life.”

(Psalm 31:13 NIV)

 

King David was under attack, not just once, but all the time. He was continually tossed about by people and circumstances. God had promised he would be king, but he would be battered into shape before crowned and placed into royalty.

April 15 - Crossed Over

 

“I tell you the truth,

whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me

has eternal life and will not be condemned;

he has crossed over from death to life.”

(John 5:24 NIV)

 

The Holy Spirit reveals Himself to me if I seek Him. I must ask for Him to touch me with His power. Then I will believe Jesus was sent by the Father to rescue me from my sinful ways. I will cross over from death to life through the cross of Jesus. I will listen and believe. I hope you will, too!

April 14 - Bloom and Die

 

“Go and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

(Matthew 28:19 NIV)

 

Azalea flowers attract pollinators and people. When they die, new life pushes out into beautiful, green leaves. When I share new life with those God places on my path, His life presses through me to them, and I can wither and die. Others are baptized into new life. It is a humbling process for me and the azalea flower. For the Holy Spirit to increase, I must decrease. I hope you will, too!

April 13 - Live to Serve

 

“A man can do nothing better

than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.

This too, I see, is from the hand of God.”

(Ecclesiastes 2:24 NIV)

 

God created His children to work. It started in the Garden of Eden and continues into eternity. When my pride creeps into the picture, I lose the joy of service. When I shine a light on myself and not on Jesus, I crumble under the pressure of want. Jesus died so I could die to myself and live for Him. I will seek the will of the Holy Spirit in whatever He gives me to do today. I hope you will, too! 

April 12 - Light of Life

 

“The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man;

it searches out his inmost being.”

(Proverbs 20:27 NIV)

 

Shine your lamp on my heart, Lord. As I open Your Word, use it to expose all the filth I have tried to hide from you. Peel back the corners of my soul and expose it to your penetrating Light of Life. I cannot hide my inmost being from you. I know Jesus loves me more than I can imagine and will lead me on the right path with Him today. I will trust Him. I hope you will, too! 

April 11 - Love Laid Down

“This is how we know what love is:

Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.

And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

(1 John 3:16 NIV)

 

Hesed is God's covenantal love, combining steadfast loyalty, mercy, kindness, and grace. It is action-oriented, loving-kindness that goes far beyond duty. How can I show hesed today? I can drop what I’m doing and help others. I can encourage those who offend me, lift them up to my Heavenly Father, and ask Him to forgive them, just like Jesus did. I hope you will, too!

April 10 - Receive

“Teacher, what good thing must I do

to get eternal life?”

(Matthew 19:16 NIV)

 

 

Today I pray with Joni Eareckson Tada, “Lord, I open the windows and doors of my life so Your refreshing breeze can blow through and drive out the stale, tired air. I need the freshness and fragrance of the Holy Spirit to swirl through every corner of my heart. I open my hands and receive Your grace, Your gifts, Your favor, Your counsel, and Your mercy.” I rejoice to receive God's free gift of eternity spent with Him. I hope you will, too!

April 9 - Overcome

“I have told you these things,

so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart!

I have overcome the world.”

(John 16:33 NIV)

 

The world will try to distract me with its glamour and glitter. Social media tries to tell me I am not good enough. Advertisements invite me to want more or better. Because He is perfect and perfectly loves me and paid for my life, I am His. Since He has overcome the world, so can I. I will thank Him for the victories. I hope you will, too! 

April 8 - Wise Listening

“Let the wise listen and add to their learning,

and let the discerning get guidance.”

(Proverbs 1:5 NIV)

 

I will step into God’s classroom today. I will open my eyes and ears to learn what He wants to teach me. It will be a one-on-one experience that only He can give. He taps me on the shoulder and whispers in my ear. Such lessons occur daily, even hourly, moment-by-moment. I only need to recognize my Teacher, stop what I am doing, and absorb what He is teaching me. I hope you will, too! 

April 7 - Satisfaction

“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

(Psalm 90:14 NIV)

 

I rise in the morning with a song in my heart and on my mind. I reach for the blinds and open them to let in the beauty of the day. Nothing can pull me away from His presence. I train my mind to thank my heavenly Father for revealing Himself to me in so many amazing ways. He is my complete Satisfaction. I will rejoice and praise Him today. I hope you will, too! 

Not What You Think

by Macy Johnson

“While they were listening to this,

He went on to tell them a parable,

because He was near Jerusalem

and the people thought that

the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.”

(Luke 19:11 NIV)

 

The Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-27) is the last of Christ’s teachings in Luke before His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The mina, valued at approximately three months’ wages, is a metaphor for the Gospel. God has given each of us the good news of Jesus and we are responsible for how we invest it and share it with others.