In Loving Memory
April 29, 1947 - September 5, 2020
Update: On Saturday, September 5th, 2020, the founder, administrator, and head moderator of this forum, Valerie S., went Home to be with the Lord. Her obituary can be found on https://memorials.demarcofuneralhomes.com/valerie-skrzyniak/4321619/index.php.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing .
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The LORD [is] thy keeper: the LORD [is] thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. (Psalm 121:5-8)
Reflection
My Prayer: Father, keep me close to You so I will not look left nor right. May I keep my eyes focused on You throughout this life. Thank You for Your constant love and guidance!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=92
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But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep [you] from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. (2 Thessalonians 3:3-4)
Reflection
Even as we are faithless, our Father is faithful to love us and faithful to fashion our hearts to resemble His character. From His great love for us, He is our shield and comfort in times of trials and temptations as He delivers us from the enemy. Consideration of this wonderful promise initiates our continued adoration and worship to the God of Most High.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=93
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A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
Reflection
My Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for guiding me through all things despite my foolishness. You know all my sorrowful ways, and yet, You continue to love me in spite of them. Father, continue to touch my heart and bring me to a right understanding of Your gracious love! Direct my steps that I may give all honour and glory to Your name! Amen
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=94
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Psalm 55 - Grace Thru Faith
https://gracethrufaith.com/the-psalms/psalm-55/
Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger. My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.
I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest- I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”
Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets.
If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.
Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave, for evil finds lodging among them. But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them- men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.
My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords. Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.
David was writing about Saul when he complained that it was a former friend who had betrayed him with words as smooth as butter while his heart was filled with thoughts of war. He was also writing prophetically of the relationship between Jesus and Judas. Prophecies from Psalms and Zechariah show how the Lord felt about His betrayal.
Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. (Psalm 41:9) If someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your body (lit. your hands)?’ he will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’ (Zech. 13:6) In the end, it was those closest to Him who betrayed Him.
It seems like history is replete with stories of betrayal by close friends. I know that the deepest wounds I received during my time in pastoral ministry were inflicted by those closest to me. Jesus told His disciples that there would come a time when those who persecuted them would think they were performing a service for God (John 16:2) and that one day people’s enemies would come from among their own households. (Matt 10:36). Betrayal seems to be a characteristic of God’s children. Here’s why.
Satan will try anything to destroy relationships, especially those built around a love for the Lord. That’s why church fights are always among the worst. And since we’re all sinners there’s always a way he can get to us. Maybe we’re jealous of a friend’s accomplishments or envious of his possessions or his position. Our enemy will use these unconfessed sins to gain access to our minds and plant seemingly well-intentioned but destructive ideas there.
These ideas can manifest themselves as gossip, insubordination, rebellion, and so on. He used Saul’s mental condition to make him think David was trying to kill him so he could get Saul to try and kill David, God’s anointed. Saul thought he was putting down an uprising and acting in self-defense.
Judas was trying to arrange a meeting between the chief priests and Jesus. He became convinced that there was simply a communication problem between them, a problem that could be resolved with some face-to-face discussion and negotiation. He was devastated to learn that through them Satan had tricked him into handing Jesus over to be executed.
Believers are among the enemy’s best assistants because they think they can’t be used this way. They believe every inspiration they get has to be from the Lord, even when it conflicts with scripture and the advice of wise counselors.
To avoid being used as such a tool, stay in fellowship. Confess early and often. Look for independent confirmation before you act on what you believe to be a message from God, for by the testimony of two or three witnesses a thing shall be established. (Deut. 19:15) Bring any idea you have to the leadership and ask them to pray with you to confirm God’s will in the matter.
Remember, any work undertaken at the hand of the Lord will produce manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit within the body: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) He is not the author of confusion or contention. Those things come from an entirely different source.
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Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all [that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine]; thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. (1 Chronicles 29:11)
Reflection
"He is the fountain and centre of every thing that is bright and blessed. All that we can, in our most exalted praises, attribute to him he has an unquestionable title to. His is the greatness; his greatness is immense and incomprehensible; and all others are little, are nothing, in comparison of him. His is the power, and it is almighty and irresistible; power belongs to him, and all the power of all the creatures is derived from him and depends upon him. His is the glory; for his glory is his own end and the end of the whole creation. All the glory we can give him with our hearts, lips, and lives, comes infinitely short of what is his due. His is the victory; he transcends and surpasses all, and is able to conquer and subdue all things to himself; and his victories are incontestable and uncontrollable."
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=95
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He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:21)
Reflection
How wonderful the assurance that God will in nowise spurn our manifest love and affection! With human lovers, we always risk rejection, but with God, we who believe are given the certainty that all who adore Him will be adored in return. And of course we must be so adored! We only come to love God as we do because he first loved us. Praise be to our compassionate Father that there is no unrequited affection in His kingdom!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=96
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God's Comfort
by Anne Graham Lotz
April 5
http://www.annegrahamlotz.org/category/messages-from-gods-word/joy-of-my-heart/
Blessed be the . . . God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation. -
2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV
How could Mary bear to watch her Son tortured? Yet how could she tear herself away?
Her entire body must have quivered as though from an electric shock as she heard Jesus calling to her from the Cross. Surely her breath caught as she strained to hear His words, yet He spoke clearly, “‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple [John], ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27, NIV). And somehow, even with the horror of the scene before her, and the weight of agony pressing against her chest, she knew everything was going to be all right. She didn’t understand, but in the midst of the anguish only a mother knows as her heart is shattered by the pain of her child, a quiet peace must have stolen its way within when God spoke directly and personally to her from the Cross. God had singled her out, He had noticed her, He had cared for her, and she was comforted.
From Just Give Me Jesus
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With him [is] an arm of flesh; but with us [is] the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 32:8)
Reflection
In the Old Testament, the Lord always helped His people during times of war. Today, God still promises to be with us and help us fight our battles-both physical and spiritual. This is why we are told in Ephesians 6 to put on the armour of God. This armour is made up of the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, sandals of the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit or the Word of God. Another weapon we should use is prayer. Prayer is the way we talk to God and intercede on behalf of others. It is one of the most, if not the most, powerful weapon we have. Are you praying always?
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=97
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When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isaiah 43:2)
Reflection
Sometimes the pressures of life threaten to overwhelm us and sweep us away like a strong river current. During these times God continues to be with us. He does not leave us to suffer alone. He does not promise to take us out of our trials. But He does promise to be with us and guide us every step of the way! Praise be to the Lord, our great constancy!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=98
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Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy [endureth] for ever. (Psalm 136:25)
Reflection
God's ever-enduring lovingkindness is one of the most beautiful jewels in that great treasure trove of Christian blessing. If not for the promise of his Father's unquenchable love, the believer would have none of the earthly rest for his soul that is even now his great privilege. By the knowledge that God's love is forever granted the child of faith, that same child may take blissful comfort that his Lord shall never forsake him, shall never rescind the promise of life eternal, and shall never withhold the strength needed for perseverance in times of trial. Amen and amen!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=99
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Our Daily Journey
Poverty and Praise - April 8
by Roxanne Robbins
https://www.ourdailyjourney.org
Read:
2 Corinthians 1:3-11
As a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God (2 Corinthians 1:9).
As I waded through a sea of vendors and their handmade crafts at an outdoor market in East Africa, I came across a woman so poor her inventory consisted of only a few cheaply made bracelets. To help her make ends meet, for that day at least, I purchased a few of her items. One of the bracelets I selected had the name “Jesus” woven into it. After paying her, I put it on my wrist and—referring to the name Jesus—said to her, “Sometimes I need a reminder.”
She replied, “Yes, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. He is so sweet.” As we talked further, I learned neither poverty nor hardships had stripped her earnestness to proclaim words similar to what Paul wrote to the Corinthians, such as, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And, “God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3).
I’m certain that as long as I’m on this earth, I’ll never cease to marvel at people like that humble woman who conveyed confident hope and trust in Jesus even while experiencing pain and hardship. Such warriors in the faith are living testaments that the comfort received in Christ isn’t to be wasted, but is instead a merciful gift to be used to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:6).
God, wrote the apostle Paul, doesn’t intend for our troubles to only weigh us down. To the contrary, He can mercifully use even the hard times to point others to His comforting presence (2 Corinthians 1:6).
It can be puzzling and impossibly difficult to find hope and encouragement in times of trial unless we look to the One who offers us comfort in the midst of them. It’s because of Jesus that we’re able to “patiently endure” and share with others the comfort that He alone provides (2 Corinthians 1:6-7).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 2 Samuel 13:20-39
More:
Read Psalm 94:19 and consider how the troubled psalmist received comfort from God.
Next:
How have you received God’s comfort recently? In what ways can you extend that comfort to others?
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It is] a faithful saying: For if we be dead with [him], we shall also live with [him]: If we suffer, we shall also reign with [him]: if we deny [him], he also will deny us: If we believe not, [yet] he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
Reflection
Take heart, O believer, for though you be of weak conscience and unsteady faith, your life is now hidden in Christ Jesus! And where you show weakness, He shows strength! Be comforted in your infirmity and take joy in the awesome power and unyielding faithfulness of the Lord.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=100
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For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as [with] a shield. (Psalm 5:12)
Reflection
The children of the Father of all mercy stand fair and strong. They are unchained and free to do well in His sight. Their protection is assured and the Lord will shield their heads forever. Their enemy has fallen by the wayside by the power of their God, Who is a consuming fire. Their lives are won. Their souls are assured. None may stand against these righteous for they are the Lord's. And those for whom the Lord stands cannot be stood against! Hallelujah!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=101
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For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)
Reflection
Thank you Lord that "all the valued learning of this world is confounded, baffled, and eclipsed, by the Christian revelation and the glorious triumphs of the cross."
-Matthew Henry
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=102
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I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Reflection
Apart from the sanctifying power of Christ's blood in our lives, not a single effort of ours can amount to honest good. Recall your position in Christ Jesus. You, as a believer, are bounded up with Him. He is your holiness. He is your resurrection. He is your baptism unto new life. Abide in your faith in Christ Jesus and let your lives of righteousness grow naturally from that abiding faith!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=103
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Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
Reflection
As Christians, we have been called out of this sinful and perverse world. Although we are in this wicked world, we are certainly not of it. For the Father's good pleasure alone, we have been separated from darkness that we may do His good works. Just as we will escape from the final judgment of God unscathed, so too has the close attachment to our Father been made unbreakable. Nothing can separate us from His love and grace!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=104
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Psalm 108 - Grace Thru Faith
https://gracethrufaith.com/the-psalms/psalm-108/
My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth. Save us, and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.
God has spoken from his sanctuary: “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem and measure off the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter. Moab is my washbasin, upon Edom I toss my sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not you, O God, you who have rejected us and no longer go out with our armies? Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.
A number of years ago, the board of a ministry I headed up was struggling with a difficult decision. One of the members, frustrated with the direction the discussion was going, looked at me and said, “Well, if you want my opinion …” I interrupted her because she had inadvertently hit upon the very reason we were all so frustrated.
“With utmost respect,” I told her, “I don’t want your opinion.” Looking around the room I continued, “Nor do I want any one else’s. I didn’t invite any of you on to this board because I needed your opinions. Human opinions are free for the asking, and usually worth what they cost, and I happen to think my own are as good as anyone’s. I invited all of you on to this board because I believed you could help me discover God’s opinion.”
“As much as I love you all, your opinions aren’t valuable to me in this matter. The value you provide is your demonstrated ability to go to prayer and find out what God wants, because His is the only opinion that counts with me. The reason we’re all so frustrated is that we’re trying to resolve this issue in our own strength. Let’s give it to Him.” We did and soon had the answer.
We never made any snap decisions at those meetings. We discussed the opportunities presented to us and took them to prayer. If, after praying about them independently, we all came to the next meeting with the same answer we assumed we had God’s opinion and took action. If not we didn’t. There was no such thing as majority rule on that board. We never did anything until the vote was unanimous.
When they first came on to the board, some were uncomfortable with this approach because it denied them the influence they sought. Others because it didn’t let them use their persuasive skills to build a consensus between meetings, predetermining the outcome of the vote. But after seeing the results, they came to appreciate the way we did things.
We bought equipment, implemented programs, supported ministries, planted a church and consistently met the spiritual needs of our people. In ten years, we never borrowed any money and never had to ask for a dime to fund a budget that grew to be $250,000 annually.
God was the head of that ministry. We were His stewards. Sometimes we waited a while for Him to make His preferences known, but we never missed an opportunity while waiting. And while we never had any extra money lying around, we always had enough to do the things He led us toward.
Whether you’re entrusted with stewardship over an organization, a family, or just your own life, David’s prayer’s a good one. Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.
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Evidence of Jesus
by Billy Graham
April 15
https://billygraham.org/devotion/evidence-of-jesus/
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore . . .
—Revelation 1:18
Certain laws of evidence hold in the establishment of any historic event. Documentation of the event in question must be made by reliable contemporary witnesses. There is more evidence that Jesus rose from the dead than there is that Julius Caesar ever lived, or that Alexander the Great died at the age of 33. It is strange that historians will accept thousands of facts for which they can produce only shreds of evidence. But in the face of the overwhelming evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they cast a skeptical eye and hold intellectual doubts. The trouble with many people is that they do not want to believe. They are so completely prejudiced that they cannot accept the glorious fact of the resurrection of Christ on Bible testimony alone.
Read how a skeptic came to believe in Christ and His resurrection.
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The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. (Psalm 147:6)
Reflection
Our Prayer: We thank You, O God, for the pleasure You take in humbling the proud and exalting those of low degree. Keep us from pride. Let us not be as the wicked, who conduct themselves insolently towards You and scornfully towards all mankind. Let us not be as those who lift up themselves in pride and folly! Rather make us further into Your holy image day by day as we trust upon Your sanctifying Spirit
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=105
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In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13)
Reflection
God has placed a seal on those who have believed in Him. This seal is the Holy Spirit which was promised and is a sign that we are now God's property. What belongs to God is God's and cannot be taken by another. God ferociously guards His property and will allow nothing to separate us from Him.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=106
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But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Psalm 37:11)
Reflection
The Lord shall not forsake His promise to His saints! Indeed shall they inherit their heavenly land. Even as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob proclaimed themselves strangers upon the earth while they looked forward to the heavenly city of promise, so too do we rest in our hope of future glory. Even now we are citizens of the great and holy Zion. Yes citizens, but ambassadors in a foreign land. Ambassadors for Christ! Yet soon and forever we shall bask in the full weight of the brightness of the glory of Christ! We only await His return in glory! Come quickly Lord Jesus! Amen!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=107
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But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Thessalonians 5:8-9)
Reflection
By the gracious salvation in Christ, we are separated from the dark as His light shines through us. This separation changes our destination from eternal condemnation to everlasting joy and peace. This magnificent hope for all followers of Christ causes us to rejoice in the glorious splendour of His majesty.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=109
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Depend on Him
by Billy Graham
April 19
https://billygraham.org/devotion/depend-on-him/
I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won't always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to.
—Galatians 5:16 (TLB)
To walk in the Spirit is a challenging and inspiring exercise, for it combines activity with relaxation. To walk means to place one foot in front of the other. If you stop doing this, you are no longer walking-you are standing still. Walking always implies movement, progress, and direction. Sin shall no longer rule or dominate you when you are allowing the Holy Spirit to live Christ’s life through you. It is living by faith, living by trust, living in dependence upon God.
If we look to our own resources, our own strength, or our own ability, as Peter did when he walked on the water, we will fail. You cannot live the Christian life by yourself. The Holy Spirit must live in you and express Himself through you. Living for Christ is a day-by-day experience. It is a continuous dependence upon the Spirit of God. It is believing in His faithfulness.
God is our help. Dig deeper in this Anne Graham Lotz Bible Study.
https://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/march-2017/54258-2/
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For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; (Philippians 1:29)
Reflection
As Christians we have been given various things. Paul tells the Philippians about two of them. First, he tells them that it has been granted to them to believe in Christ; and second, he says that it has been granted to them to suffer for Him. Suffering does not always seem appetizing, however, there is much gained by it. Remember in the midst of your troubles that as Christ was troubled, so too will His people be troubled-and our sufferings are to be counted joy for they serve to demonstrate our unity with our Bridegroom.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=110
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He Wants To Be Your Life
by Anne Graham Lotz
April 20
http://www.annegrahamlotz.org/category/messages-from-gods-word/joy-of-my-heart/
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. - 1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV
One of the pictures in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress is of a man bending double from his waist, sorting through a can of garbage, carefully extracting the little bits of tinsel he finds there. Behind him is standing an angel who is offering him a solid gold crown studded with precious jewels, but the man is so engrossed in the garbage he never notices the angel.
When we get to heaven, will you and I be ashamed of our preoccupation with “garbage” in this life – garbage that prevented us from dying to our desire for it, turning around, leaving it all behind, and reaching out for what God wanted to give us? Why is it that we seem to cling so tightly to what we want, and in the process lose what God wants us to have? God wants us to have power and blessing and glory. But you don’t obtain it by adding Jesus to your life-He has to be your life!
From Pursuing MORE of Jesus
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Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)
Reflection
Walk in the light. Forsake the deeds of darkness. God has promised life to those who will put away their old lives and trust on His life. His Son will send all darkness scurrying to the uttermost parts of the earth. He will be a lamp unto thy feet. It is Christ Himself who will lead His people from the very shadow of death unto the Light everlasting. Hallelujah! What a saviour!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=111
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Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31-32)
Reflection
God promises truth and freedom to all those who love Him and abide in His good pleasure. In a life full of uncertainty, the truth of God is wonderful to contemplate indeed! Never need we doubt the veracity of the Lord for He Himself is the measure of truth. He is the standard by which all claims stand or fall. And if He, in unmitigated Truth, says that we are made free, then what iron fetter or steel prison can stifle our liberty? Why none at all! Rejoice in your freedom, O Christian, and use it to pursue the righteousness of God!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=112
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Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)
Reflection
Trust not in the power of your own strength nor in the might of your own will to accomplish good, O believer! Your sanctification is not a matter of dominating yourself through discipline! You have no ability of your own to effect righteous works in your life! Trust, rather, in God! Place your faith in the Spirit to work in you for righteousness!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=113
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The Cross of Obedience
by Anne Graham Lotz - April 23
http://www.annegrahamlotz.org/category/messages-from-gods-word/joy-of-my-heart/
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." - Matthew 16:24, NIV
Are you repulsed by the thought of crucifixion? I am. But I also know that when I look into the eyes of Jesus, I see a cross! And He has said to me, “Anne, if you want to be My disciple, if you want to follow Me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me. Because if you want to save your life, you’re going to lose it in the end. If you choose to lose your life for Me, you will find it. For what good will it do you if you gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul?” (Matt. 16:24-26, paraphrased).
The cross that Jesus commands you and me to carry is the cross of submissive obedience to the will of God, even when His will includes suffering and hardship and things we don’t want to do. It is a willingness to totally, absolutely, irrevocably, and finally yield our lives to Him because we want what He wants more than what we want.
From Just Give Me Jesus
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For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. (Isaiah 41:13)
Reflection
My Prayer: Lord help me to trust in You when I'm scared-when I'm afraid of what people might think of me when I tell them about You and Your good news. Thank You Lord, for being right by my side, holding my hand, and strengthening me for every good work.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=114
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For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. (Psalm 149:4)
Reflection
Who can measure the vast, unbounded love of the Lord? Ever is He swift to well up bountiful treasure unto His people! Though they be of the poor, the weak, the foolish, and the ugly, ever does He shower them with gifts unmerited. And even salvation! He makes such a humble people into His rich, powerful, wise, and beautiful bride! Hallelujah!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=115
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Love Forgives and Forgets
by Anne Graham Lotz
April 25
http://www.annegrahamlotz.org/category/messages-from-gods-word/joy-of-my-heart/
Love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. - 1 Peter 4:8, NIV
King Solomon wisely admonished, “He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends” (Prov. 17:9, NIV). One of the definitions for love given in the New Testament is that, “Love does not delight in evil. . . . It always protects” (1 Cor. 13:6-7, NIV).
One of the greatest failures in the Bible was the apostle Peter. His most notorious moment of sin was when, after vowing that he would die for Jesus, he actually denied ever having known Him. And he denied Him not just once but three times. Yet God, in His mercy and grace, restored Peter so completely that he was given a prominent leadership position within the early church, opening the door of opportunity for the Gentiles to receive the gospel. And Peter, who understood the shame of failure and the humiliation of sin, encouraged Christians to “love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
From God's Story
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And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)
Reflection
The promise of salvation is a gift to the ones that believe on Christ. The Philippian jailor wanted to know how he could possibly be saved and the response from Paul and Silas was simple: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ unto salvation. And so it is! Our very eternal lives rest on the simplest of things—our belief in Christ's power to save us! Rejoice in such things as they are cause for much joy!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=116
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For his anger [endureth but] a moment; in his favour [is] life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy [cometh] in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)
Reflection
You may weep and you may mourn over the troubles of this life, but know this you believers: your weeping will last only a night—for the smallest portion of your life. Once your joy is restored, those times of sadness and despair will seem only the briefest of moments. This life can be seen as a time of weeping; but when compared with the joy of eternity, our suffering seems slight and insignificant indeed. Praise the Lord that He is soon coming!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=117
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Hoekstra's Day by Day by Grace (April 26th)
A Fragrance of Christ to Every Person
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/dbdbg/view.cfm
Now thanks be to God who…through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death to death, and to the other the aroma of life to life. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)
The fragrance of Christ is one of the great characteristics that God wants to build into our lives by His grace. "Now thanks be to God who… through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge." This spiritual aroma, which results from getting to know the Lord, blesses the heart of God. "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ." The Father loves to see the life of His Son being expressed in and through our humanity, even though this requires our dying to self. "For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Corinthians 4:11).
As we are getting to know the Lord more and more, our God is not the only one who is impacted. This spiritual aroma of Christ impacts every person we meet. "God…through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." This includes both the saved and the unsaved. "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."
This fragrance affects those who know the Lord: "the fragrance of Christ…among those who are being saved." For those who are enjoying life in Christ, that heavenly scent in our lives is "the aroma of life to life." Christ's fragrance in us draws them to seek abundant measures of that life which they have already entered.
This spiritual scent also influences those who do not yet know our Lord: "the fragrance of Christ…among those who are perishing." To them it is "the aroma of death to death." They are dead in their sins, and this aroma makes them more aware of their deadness, more aware of their need for Christ.
When this fragrance is emanating from our lives, we are not the cause. God is the active agent, working in and through us to bring forth this heavenly scent. "Now thanks be to God who…through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge."This work of God's grace is available to us every day we live and every place we go: "the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."
Father God, I long to know You more and more. I want to have this fragrance of Christ emanating up to You and out to every one I meet. I praise You that this is a work You do by Your grace. So, I humbly bow, trusting You to work in me this way, through Christ, my Lord, Amen.
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For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. (1 Corinthians 7:14)
Reflection
O but the power of grace in the New Covenant is great! Under the Mosaic Covenant, God's people had to cut themselves off from the unbelieving and the foreign wife made the Israelite husband unclean (Ezra 10:2-3). Yet now, the grace of God works so powerfully through the Christian covenant that the Lord ordains his grace will actually work through the believing spouse to the sanctification of the unbelieving!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=118
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But he said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (Luke 11:28)
Reflection
Praises everlasting for that most wondrous of gifts: a man who could hear the word of God and keep it! Sing thanks unto the Lord that by His Son's obedience to God's holy law, even unto death, the eternal blessings of the Lord might now fall upon His people. How fortunate are we become, those who serve the Lord in the faith of righteousness! Rejoice, O people, and sing evermore His mighty praise.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=119
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The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. (Psalm 145:15-16)
Reflection
The Lord promises to provide for all of our needs (cf. Matthew 6:26). He gives us everything that we ask of Him as long as it is according to His will (cf. Philippians 4:19 and James 4:3). He is our good Father and will ever seek our welfare!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=120
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But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine. (Isaiah 43:1)
Reflection
O church, remember that Christ is the fulfilment of Israel and the seed of Abraham so long awaited by God's people. And recall that you are His bride! His redemption is your redemption! And even as He bears the name of God, so do you bear His own name! He is Christ and you are His Christians! Having been cleansed and made righteous by His blood, you are now counted worthy the honour of bearing the name above all names! Wonder of wonders-take joy, O bride of the Lamb!
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/promises/index.cfm?doy=121