5/13 1 John 3:18-22
Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. 19 It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, 20 even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him.
CONFIDENCE
God’s Word says we can come to God with bold confidence. We can do this because Jesus paid the price for our sin and gave us life in Him. We live in Christ. Rejoice dear brother and sister-Jesus is alive.
Author - Clay Corvin
5/12 1 John 3:14-17
If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead. 15 Anyone who hates another Christian is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. 16 We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters. 17 But if anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help — how can God’s love be in that person?
LOVE
Real love is much different than what we see in the lives of people all around us. Real love dies to self and lives for others. If you love your spouse, stop demanding control. Die to self and serve. Service is often unappreciated. When we take on the role of servant the thanks will be few but the growth in Christ will be great. Serving that unappreciative person is in effect serving the Lord Jesus Christ and He gave His life for you.
5/11 1 John 3:10-13
So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the Devil. Anyone who does not obey God’s commands and does not love other Christians does not belong to God. 11 This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was right. 13 So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
LOVE
Love is an identifying mark of God’s children. We love our-self, one another and others. Love is an identifying mark. Do you have that mark? Ask Jesus to help you if you don’t.
5/10 1 John 3:6-9
So if we continue to live in him, we won’t sin either. But those who keep on sinning have never known him or understood who he is. 7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it is because they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil. 9 Those who have been born into God’s family do not sin, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they have been born of God.
CHOICE
When we repent and trust Jesus for our salvation and by faith walk in Him we
have a choice as to how we act. Pagans always act like pagans. Children of God act like His children. Who do you act like? Be faithful to change and grow in Christ likeness.
5/9 1 John 3:3-5
And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure. 4 Those who sin are opposed to the law of God, for all sin opposes the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, for there is no sin in him.
FORGIVENESS
Forgiveness is complete in Christ. He removes our sin from us. He ushers us into the presence of the Father. The Father sees us through the perfection of Christ not as the poor beleaguered souls that we are. Jesus is Lord and He is able to provide for us exactly what we need: forgiveness.
5/8 1 John 3:1-2
See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don’t know God, so they don’t understand that we are his children. 2 Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.
YES
Yes, the Lord loves us and has made us in His image. We will discover just what that means when we see Him but our spirit will testify to that likeness as we grow closer to Him. We will become more like Him.
5/7 Psalm 30:1-12
A psalm of David, sung at the dedication of the Temple. I will praise you, LORD, for you have rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried out to you for help, and you restored my health. 3 You brought me up from the grave, O LORD. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. 4 Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. 5 His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning. 6 When I was prosperous I said, “Nothing can stop me now!” 7 Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. 8 I cried out to you, O LORD. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, 9 “What will you gain if I die, if I sink down into the grave? Can my dust praise you from the grave? Can it tell the world of your faithfulness? 10 Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me. Help me, O LORD.” 11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, 12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!
THANKS
We can give thanks to the Lord. Thank you Lord for our life. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you Lord for the people you bring into my life. Thank you Lord for making me unique and uniquely equipped to do your will.
5/6 Acts 9:36-43
There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas ). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. 37 About this time she became ill and died. Her friends prepared her for burial and laid her in an upstairs room. 38 But they had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!” 39 So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other garments Dorcas had made for them. 40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! 41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he showed them that she was alive. 42 The news raced through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a leatherworker.
ANYTHING
God can do anything. He can do that miracle that you need in your life. The greatest miracle we will ever experience is the miracle of new life in Christ. The Lord cleanses us from unrighteousness, forgives our sin and pours out new life in Christ upon us. This new life is eternal. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
5/5 Acts 9:29-35
He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they plotted to murder him. 30 When the believers heard about it, however, they took him to Caesarea and sent him on to his hometown of Tarsus. 31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it grew in strength and numbers. The believers were walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. 32 Peter traveled from place to place to visit the believers, and in his travels he came to the Lord’s people in the town of Lydda. 33 There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and make your bed!” And he was healed instantly. 35 Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon turned to the Lord when they saw Aeneas walking around.
CHANGE
The Holy Spirit at work in us creates the change that others see. When we become God-focused, we reflect His work in us in everything we do. People can fake being a Christian but they cannot grow unless the Lord is at work in them. Build a relationship with the Lord by spending time with Him, reading His Word and letting His Word work in your heart.
5/4 Acts 9:26-28
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They thought he was only pretending to be a believer! 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus. Barnabas also told them what the Lord had said to Saul and how he boldly preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus. 28 Then the apostles accepted Saul, and after that he was constantly with them in Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.
USED
Do you want to be used by God? The Lord will use you if you surrender yourself to Him. Paul surrendered himself to Jesus and as a result was on fire for the Lord. He became a world change. Jesus is Lord.