4/12 Psalm 118:13-29
13 You did your best to kill me, O my enemy, but the LORD helped me. 14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my victory. 15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things! 16 The strong right arm of the LORD is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things! 17 I will not die, but I will live to tell what the LORD has done. 18 The LORD has punished me severely, but he has not handed me over to death. 19 Open for me the gates where the righteous enter, and I will go in and thank the LORD. 20 Those gates lead to the presence of the LORD, and the godly enter there. 21 I thank you for answering my prayer and saving me! 22 The stone rejected by the builders has now become the cornerstone. 23 This is the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous to see. 24 This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Please, LORD, please save us. Please, LORD, please give us success. 26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD. 27 The LORD is God, shining upon us. Bring forward the sacrifice and put it on the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! 29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
REJOICE
You know the Lord, rejoice. We have a risen Savior and His name is Jesus. We have a loving, powerful Lord. Rejoice for this is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Author - Clay Corvin
4/11 Psalm 118:1-12
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Let the congregation of Israel repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” 3 Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” 4 Let all who fear the LORD repeat: “His faithful love endures forever.” 5 In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and rescued me. 6 The LORD is for me, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 7 Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. 8 It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in people. 9 It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in princes. 10 Though hostile nations surrounded me, I destroyed them all in the name of the LORD. 11 Yes, they surrounded and attacked me, but I destroyed them all in the name of the LORD. 12 They swarmed around me like bees; they blazed against me like a roaring flame. But I destroyed them all in the name of the LORD.
THANKS
Stop, give thanks to the Lord today for He is fighting your fights. The Lord is with us and ahead of us as we live our life. Life is struggle but in every struggle the Lord is in the struggle with us. Give thanks to the Lord for He has blessed us exceedingly and abundantly.
4/10 Acts 10:34-43
34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God doesn’t show partiality. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 36 I’m sure you have heard about the Good News for the people of Israel — that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what happened all through Judea, beginning in Galilee after John the Baptist began preaching. 38 And no doubt you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, for God was with him. 39 “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Israel and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by crucifying him, 40 but God raised him to life three days later. Then God allowed him to appear, 41 not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen beforehand to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is ordained of God to be the judge of all — the living and the dead. 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”
WITNESSES
We are witnesses to the living Lord Jesus. We have walked with Him, talked with Him been guided by Him and we most of all can testify to His life in us. Jesus is alive and He is alive in me.
4/9 Luke 24:1-12
1 But very early on Sunday morning the women came to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. 3 So they went in, but they couldn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 They were puzzled, trying to think what could have happened to it. Suddenly, two men appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 5 The women were terrified and bowed low before them. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead! Don’t you remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again the third day?” 8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back to tell his eleven disciples — and everyone else — what had happened. 10 The women who went to the tomb were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several others. They told the apostles what had happened, 11 but the story sounded like nonsense, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.
RISEN
Jesus has risen. He is alive. His life is intertwined with ours. He lives in those of us who have claimed His name for our forgiveness and salvation. Jesus is God’s everything.
4/8 Luke 23:24-46
So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. 25 As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he delivered Jesus over to them to do as they wished. 26 As they led Jesus away, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country just then, was forced to follow Jesus and carry his cross. 27 Great crowds trailed along behind, including many grief-stricken women. 28 But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ 30 People will beg the mountains to fall on them and the hills to bury them. 31 For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry? ” 32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 Finally, they came to a place called The Skull. All three were crucified there — Jesus on the center cross, and the two criminals on either side. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people, because they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 35 The crowd watched, and the leaders laughed and scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Chosen One, the Messiah.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A signboard was nailed to the cross above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself — and us, too, while you’re at it!” 40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you are dying? 41 We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” 43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” 44 By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the thick veil hanging in the Temple was torn apart. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.
DEATH
His death on a cross secured our salvation. He redeemed us from slavery to the bondage of sin. When we accept Jesus He frees us. Praise the Lord we are free.
4/7 John 20:11-31
11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels sitting at the head and foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Why are you crying?” the angels asked her.”Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” 16 “Mary!” Jesus said.She turned toward him and exclaimed, “Teacher!” 17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.” 18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. 19 That evening, on the first day of the week, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his side. They were filled with joy when they saw their Lord! 21 He spoke to them again and said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven.” 24 One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin ), was not with the others when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” 26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. He said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. 29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.” 30 Jesus’ disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life.
WHO
Who are you looking for? Jesus is Lord therefore you do not have to look any longer. Accept Him as Savior and live a resurrected life.
4/6 John 20:1-10
1 Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!” 3 Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. 4 The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. 5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in. 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying to the side. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, and he saw and believed — 9 for until then they hadn’t realized that the Scriptures said he would rise from the dead. 10 Then they went home.
SEEING
Seeing they didn’t understand. Sight isn’t always help for our belief. We live with an awareness of His presence. We trust His promises. He loves us. Jesus is Lord. We don’t make Him Lord we simply trust that He is and that He rewards those that believe in Him.
4/5 Psalm 22:1-11
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be sung to the tune “Doe of the Dawn.” My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me? Why do you remain so distant? Why do you ignore my cries for help? 2 Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief. 3 Yet you are holy. The praises of Israel surround your throne. 4 Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. 5 You heard their cries for help and saved them. They put their trust in you and were never disappointed. 6 But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! 7 Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, 8 “Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD rescue him!” 9 Yet you brought me safely from my mother’s womb and led me to trust you when I was a nursing infant. 10 I was thrust upon you at my birth. You have been my God from the moment I was born. 11 Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me.
CONFIDENCE
We trust God based on His Word. We begin with confidence and yet the world is a scary place. We struggle but we believe. His Word effectively speaks to our situation. His deliverance is forthcoming. We remember. Now we hear His promise and have experienced His promise. We struggle and we believe.
4/4 Isaiah 53:7-12
He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins — that he was suffering their punishment? 9 He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. 10 But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s plan will prosper in his hands. 11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 12 I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.
SUFFERED
He suffered and died for you and me. He created us. He knew our need. He offers forgiveness of our sin. Jesus loves you and me.
4/3 Isaiah 53:1-6
Who has believed our message? To whom will the LORD reveal his saving power? 2 My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. 3 He was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! 5 But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! 6 All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.
GUILTY
Jesus accepted my sin, I was guilty and He suffered and died for me and for you. He bore our sin. He paid our price. As a result of His sacrifice we can be set free. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and forgive your sin. He will.