Category - Devotionals

6/01 Ephesians 6:1-2
Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first of the Ten Commandments that ends with a promise.
RESPONSIBILITY
When we follow Christ we accept the responsibility to live like Jesus. Jesus always followed the will of His Father. We are called to obey our parents. This is an important responsibility in our life that we cannot take lightly.

6/02 Ephesians 6:3
And this is the promise: If you honor your father and mother, “you will live a long life, full of blessing.”
PROMISE
This is a promise from the Lord to us. Live long and prosper. Simple, direct, and complete without qualifiers that is from the Lord and deals with our life here on Earth. Not pie in the sky bye and bye but right now.

6/03 Ephesians 6:4
And now a word to you fathers. Don’t make your children angry by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord.
LOVE
Love endures. Love cares. Love is gentle. Be kind and gentle with your children. Bring them up in the Lord. Guide them in the way that they should go.

6/04 Ephesians 6:5-6
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.
OBEDIENCE
Obedience is critical for us to grow. Out of our obedience to the Lord and to those in positions of authority over us we will develop understanding and wisdom. We want to live joyous and fruitful lives. Do what is required of you and you will develop the ability to lead a fruitful life. The Lord will give you joy.

6/05 Ephesians 6:7-8
Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.
WORK
I have a job I can do. No one else can do what the Lord has called me to do. I will do it knowing that the Lord is with me and watching over me. The Lord will not forsake me. I can do what I am called to do. Jesus is Lord.

6/06 Ephesians 6:9-10
And in the same way, you masters must treat your slaves right. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites. A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power.
STRENGTH
I am weak and often heavy laden. The Lord is strong and is seeking to carry my load for me. Help me Lord today to give my burden to You and walk with confidence that You have my best interests at heart. Jesus loves me.

6/07 Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
BATTLE
We are in a battle for our walk. If you have asked Christ into your life and believe in Jesus you will face a constant battle from the powers of darkness. They cannot defeat you and they know that. Instead they are trying to bump you off of the right way and cause you to stumble becoming ineffective with the claims of the Lord. Be careful how you life. Pay attention to the Lord. Be faithful in praying and spending time with Jesus so that you will know HIM.

6/08 Ephesians 6:13
Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.
RESIST
Victory is won. All we have to do is resist. The enemy cannot overcome you unless you give into its wiles. Stand firm in Jesus claiming His promises and believing that He will be with you in you time of struggle and difficulty.

6/09 Ephesians 6:14
Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.
JESUS
Jesus is the truth. He loves you and in Him we have eternal life. It is a free gift so that no one may boast. Jesus loves you. He bestows upon you the righteousness of God so that we can have fellowship with the Lord.

6/10 Ephesians 6:15
For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared.
GOOD NEWS
Once you come into the Family of God there is no more bad news. There are setbacks and disappointments but the victory has been won. We have peace. Jesus is our peace. We are encouraged and directed by His presence, promises and power. Jesus is Lord and we walk in Him. Know that you can stand in Christ and nothing can separate you from Jesus.

6/11 Ephesians 6:16
In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.
FAITH
The Lord made you a promise. If you asked Jesus to save you He has. Therefore, you can depend on Him. Do not let the slings and arrows of daily life get you down have faith in Christ. Spend time with Jesus. Read the Word. He will see you through whatever you are facing.

6/12 Ephesians 6:17
Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
WORD
God’s Word is your direction for living. It is a detailed living message to you with instructions for dealing with your daily life. It is personal. It is powerful. It speaks to your heart and equips you to attack life and all of its difficulties.

6/13 Ephesians 6:18
Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.
WHEN
We need the Lord. We need to be in constant contact with the Lord. It is prudent to develop an attitude of conversation with the Lord about everything in our life. It will purge us of evil. This constancy of conversation with the Lord will change the way we think.

6/14 Ephesians 6:19
And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words as I boldly explain God’s secret plan that the Good News is for the Gentiles, too.
PROCLAIM
We tell everyone about what is going on in our life. When we are constantly in conversation with the Lord we will be consistent in telling about Jesus. If we are sold out to the Lord we will be quick to tell others about what the Lord is doing in our life.

6/15 Ephesians 6:20-22
I am in chains now for preaching this message as God’s ambassador. But pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should. Tychicus, a much loved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work, will tell you all about how I am getting along. I am sending him to you for just this purpose. He will let you know how we are, and he will encourage you.
COURAGE
It takes courage to deal with the day-to-day Christian life. My faith is the platform that my courage rests upon. By faith I live as Christ calls me to live. By faith I believe He has a plan for my life and that I can accomplish His plan. It takes courage for my to accept what the Lord has laid out for me and to live that way.

6/16 Ephesians 6:23-24
May God give you peace, dear brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God’s grace be upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
PEACE
Life is valuable. We can recognize our value in Christ and have peace all the days of our life if we will accept it from the Father. He will give us His peace and we can live His life day by day in Christ Jesus. The choice is ours. We count with Christ and our life is in His hands. He will be with us and enable us. Choose today to follow Jesus.

6/17 Romans 1:1-3
This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ’s slave, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. This Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus, who came as a man, born into King David’s royal family line.
GOOD NEWS
JESUS has come to mankind. He gives us a choice in life. Will I live my way and perish or will I surrender my life to Jesus and live? Choose carefully and do not fool yourself because the Lord knows our heart.

05/01 Ephesians 4:1-2
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.  Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

HUMILITY
Humility is difficult to balance.  We know that the Lord gives us all that we need.  Even when we are extremely successful we need to cultivate an awareness that God is in control and but for the grace of God failure could be our constant companion.  Our life is a gift.  We exercise that gift day by day as a child of God that is always aware of the Creator’s presence, priority and love.

05/02 Ephesians 4:3-4
Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.  We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.

ONE
We are one in Christ.  He is the bonding agent.  Jesus created us and keeps us.  We have access to the Father through Him and in Him we have peace.  We can share our peace with each other in Christ.  Jesus loves you.

05/03 Ephesians 4:5-6
There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.
ONE
God, Holy Spirit and Jesus are one.  We are always speaking to the totality of God.  Amazingly His love is total.  Everything we need for real life is found in Jesus Christ.  Trust Jesus.  Let Christ have your heart and mind so that He might equip you for active service day by day.

05/04 Ephesians 4:7-8
However, he has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ.  That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”
GIFT
Christ gave to us His forgiveness.  It is covered by His grace and protected by His promise of eternal life.  Jesus has given us the His gift of family membership in God’s family.  We now belong to Him.  He is our and we are His.  Jesus is the Lord.

05/05 Ephesians 4:9
Notice that it says “he ascended.” This means that Christ first came down to the lowly world in which we live.
JESUS
Jesus came into our world and lived the way we live.  He suffered and yet never disobeyed the Father.  Jesus came to show us that we could do it with His help.  Whatever we face we can do it with Jesus.  Whenever we hurt we can survive the pain with Christ.  Jesus is God’s everything.

05/06 Ephesians 4:10-11 
The same one who came down is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that his rule might fill the entire universe. He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

JESUS
The church is the Bride of Christ. Jesus gave us the church so that we might be equipped to fight the battle of daily life and to fulfill the Great Commission. Jesus Christ knows the things that we need and He has given us His church to help us bridge the gap from His hand to the individual in the local church. 


05/07 Ephesians 4:12-13 

Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. 

JESUS
We have everything we need for Christ like living in Jesus. When we come to the Lord we get it all in Christ. However, because we are so foolish and mere babes in Christ we are to approach the Christ life diligently so that just like a baby growing up we too will grow up in Christ. Be faithful for Jesus is Lord. 



05/08 Ephesians 4:14-15 

Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 

CHOICE
What will I be like? I have that choice. Will I surrender my life to Jesus and let Him live in me or will I seek to be strong person refusing to bend the knee to Jesus as I seek to grow in Christ. Too many people think that the strength must be something they summon up. The truth is that there is nothing in us that will enable us to lead a Christ like life. Only in surrender will one find the power of Christ to live and grow in Him. Speak to Jesus today and let Him do with you as He will.

05/09 Ephesians 4:16 

Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
JESUS
Jesus knows all about us and all about the future. When we are under His authority and control He is constantly leading us step by step in life. The Christ life is a life that is under the control of the Christ. Pray, ask and do in Jesus. He is worthy of all of our attention and resources. An easy check for us to know if we are under His control is to look at how we spend our money. If our money is spent totally on self we are under our own control. If it is spent, as Jesus would have us to spend it we are under His control.

05/10 Ephesians 4:17-18

With the Lord’s authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

CHANGE
We choose how we do what we do. Once we are new creatures in Christ and members of the family of God we must learn to change. The normal way we live is not the normal way we are called to live as children of God. Change is a constant. The way I am today is not the way that the Lord expects me to be tomorrow or next week or a year from now. I control my hands and feet therefore follow Jesus.

05/11 Ephesians 4:19-20 

They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ. 

TAUGHT
We are taught to model the life of Christ. Therefore we have to know what kind of life that was. We discover the life of Christ in the Bible. Read God’s Word. Search for wisdom as it deals with your life. If you are searching the Word you will be searched by the Word and given marching instructions about life change.

05/12 Ephesians 4:21-22 
Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.
CHANGE
Change is an act of the will whereby we renounce the old ways and accept the guidance of Jesus so that we can walk in the new ways. Christ is the center of our life or we are on our own in a scary world. Bend the knee to Jesus so that Christ can live in you.

05/13 Ephesians 4:23-24 
Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness — righteous, holy, and true.
NEW
When we come to Jesus He gives us a new heart and a new life. We choose to follow Jesus and we choose whether or not we will follow Him every day. Today, this moment, choose the right way and walk in it. Jesus WILL show you the right way but you have to choose to accept it and walk it. Be about the master’s work, do what Jesus says.

05/14 Ephesians 4:25

So put away all falsehood and “tell your neighbor the truth” because we belong to each other.
STOP
Quit telling lies. Consider the life you are living. Does the way you live life disappoint you? Do not fear. In Christ we have forgiveness, camaraderie and new life. Read God’s Word. Quit lying.

05/15 Ephesians 4:26-27 

And “don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.
CONTROL
We are called to lead a simple life. Turn you covetousness over to Jesus. Ask Him to search your soul and guide you to rid yourself of these character flaws. You are responsible for your actions including accepting Jesus.

05/16 Ephesians 4:28

If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need.
CHANGE
Christ in our life will change the way we act. We will stop living the way we were and live as Christ directs. Jesus is Lord and He will be Lord of our life if we will surrender our will to him.

05/17 Ephesians 4:29 

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
CHANGE
What we say and do will change when we come to Jesus. He will give us a new heart and a new mind. In Christ we will speak differently for we will be filled with him. Jesus is Lord.

05/18 Ephesians 4:30 

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
RESPONSIBILITY
When we come to Christ we are given a new heart and a new life. We are no longer in bondage to sin. We can change and we can do as the Lord dictates. The problem is that we are the only one that can perform the actions of a Godly life. No one can live it for us. Therefore we are called to live a new life in surrender to Jesus and do what He says day by day. Anything less than that will wind up causing us a great deal of spiritual struggle.

05/19 Ephesians 4:31-32 

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
OVER
Am I willing to cut my ties with sin? This is a choice. I choose to do the next right thing. Only in Jesus do I have the freedom to refuse sin. It whispers in our ear, nudging us to do our own thing, calling into question God’s power and only when we refuse will sin release its hold on us.

5/20 Ephesians 5:1-2

Follow God’s example in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him.
JESUS
Jesus knew us better than we know ourselves and went to the cross and died for us. His perfect life was the price required to take away our sin. He agonized for me and for you. He knew our pain and it was the only way to break the bonds that sin places on us. Jesus died for each one of us so that we might have life in Him.

5/21 Ephesians 5:3-4

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes — these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
MORALS
Morals count. Morality is significant. Today we want to control God and do our own thing. That is no different than in Biblical Times. The truth is that what we say and do counts and we don’t have the power to say how it counts. God’s standard of morality gives us the standards we are to live by.

5/22 Ephesians 5:5-6 

You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible anger of God comes upon all those who disobey him.
EXCUSE
Be careful what you excuse in your life. We can fool ourselves but we cannot fool God. There will be a day of accounting when we will give an account for our life. In that day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Jesus loves you.

5/23 Ephesians 5:7-9
Don’t participate in the things these people do. For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
ACTIONS
Our hands and feet are no longer controlled by our emotions-the Lord is in control. We have an inner voice of the right path-Christ’s way. We automatically evaluate everything we do in the light of our Savior Jesus Christ. We know his way and we walk in it. By his strength we stand and go.

5/24 Ephesians 5:10-12
Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
SECRET
There is no secret. All that we do and say is before God. We now know this. Darkness is to be rebuked. Secret is to be disdained. We are His children and are called to walk and live in His light. Our life is an open book to the Lord. Make sure we realize this and always are aware that we hide nothing from the Lord.

5/25 Ephesians 5:13-14
But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are. And where your light shines, it will expose their evil deeds. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
CHOICE
The life we lead is a choice. Will I live a life destined for failure and destruction following my own lead or will I surrender my life to Jesus and walk in the light? I can make the right choice if I will surrender my will to His will. Choose carefully. Your walk depends on it.

5/26 Ephesians 5:15-16
So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days.
ACTIONS
We can be foolish and live by our emotions. Jesus delivers us from slavery to sin and we can choose in His strength to train ourselves to do the next right thing. We want to be wise to activity of the evil one. We want our actions to bring honor and glory to the Lord. Be careful how you live and take time to let Jesus guide your actions.

5/27 Ephesians 5:17-19
Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts.
CONTROL
We choose to let the Lord control us. We need His indwelling to maintain our Godward attitude. The spiritual life is impossible without the indwelling guidance of the Lord. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we will be under God’s control.

5/28 Ephesians 5:20-24
And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And further, you will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives must submit to your husbands in everything.
SUBMISSION
Submission is a learned trait. I must choose to be in submission and it is an act of the will. It is part of the Christ life. Submission is important for my spiritual growth. Jesus is Lord and He will give us what we need for daily living.

5/29 Ephesians 5:25-27
And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.
CHURCH
The Church is the body of Christ. We come together as 1 and 1 that equals 3. We are in the body of Christ and are a part of what the Lord is doing in the world. He seeks to accomplish His purpose in the world through us. Victory is won on our knees in sacrifice and not through military conquering. Jesus is Lord.

5/30 Ephesians 5:28-30
In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man is actually loving himself when he loves his wife. No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church. And we are his body.
CHRIST
Jesus Christ is all and in all. He is alive and He has chosen to promote and accomplish His work in the world through us. Surrender to Jesus and He will put you to work accomplishing His goals in this world. One day we will stand face to face before Him today we will stand with Him when we are serving.

5/31 Ephesians 5:31-33
As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
LOVE
Love is an action. What we do for and towards others is how we show our love. Service, service, service is the perfect way for us to accomplish the mission that the Lord has given us. “If you love me,” Jesus said, “feed my sheep.”

04/14 Ephesians 2:17-18
He has brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and to us Jews who were near.  Now all of us, both Jews and Gentiles, may come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

JESUS
Jesus is God’s everything.  He has brought us exactly what we need wherever we are.  Do not fear for the Lord comes looking for the lost.  When you ask Him to save you He will.  Jesus is the only way to the Father and He is faithful to save us from our sin if we will ask.

04/15 Ephesians 2:19-20
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.  We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.

JESUS
Everything we do affects the way the world sees us.  When we act like Jesus it is for His honor and glory.  When we act like the world it degrades the name of Jesus.  We are responsible for what we do.  We are responsible in a way that outsiders are not-the world will always act like the world-they are dead in their trespasses and sin.  We are God’s children and members of His household and as such are called to act like His children.

04/16 Ephesians 2:21-22
We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.  Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

TEMPLE
We belong to Jesus and indeed we are physically His dwelling place here on earth.  We are charged with the responsibility of being His temple.  Amazing that the Lord would use us.  Where we are yet new in Christ and His righteousness indwells us.  We have to go along with this and therefore it is required that for this to happen we must surrender ourselves to His control.  Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow.

04/17 Ephesians 3:1-2
I, Paul, am a prisoner of Christ Jesus because of my preaching to you Gentiles.  As you already know, God has given me this special ministry of announcing his favor to you Gentiles.

JESUS
Jesus is in control.  When we surrender our life to Christ we are no longer at the mercy of the world.  Jesus is Lord and Savior and we live in Him.  He is Lord and He is in charge.  Forget the circumstances of your life: Jesus has you in His hand.  Do not fear what mankind can do to you, you serve the Lord.

04/18 Ephesians 3:3
As I briefly mentioned earlier in this letter, God himself revealed his secret plan to me.

PLAN
God’s plan includes you.  It was developed with you and your exact needs in mind.  The Lord hasn’t forgotten you.  His plan was put into place before the foundation of existence was formed.  God created you in His image and you are valuable.  Rejoice!

04/19 Ephesians 3:4-6
As you read what I have written, you will understand what I know about this plan regarding Christ.  God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now he has revealed it by the Holy Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets.  And this is the secret plan: The Gentiles have an equal share with the Jews in all the riches inherited by God’s children. Both groups have believed the Good News, and both are part of the same body and enjoy together the promise of blessings through Christ Jesus.

EVERYONE
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  But God in His infinite wisdom provided a way for anyone and everyone to come to Him.  If we don’t have all of God we need it is simply because we do not want to.

04/20 Ephesians 3:7
By God’s special favor and mighty power, I have been given the wonderful privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.

GOOD NEWS
God loves you and provided a way for you to become a part of His family.  It will change us right now.  We will no longer be slaves to sin but instead we will become a member of God’s household.  Eternity becomes a part of our inheritance.  Life like God’s becomes a part of our daily existence.

04/21 Ephesians 3:8
Just think! Though I did nothing to deserve it, and though I am the least deserving Christian there is, I was chosen for this special joy of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.

JOY
It brings great joy to talk about Jesus.  When we share what Christ is doing in our life it encourages and strengthens our daily walk.  Stay close to Jesus.  Talk about Christ and tell others about Him.  Make Jesus the center of your life.

04/22 Ephesians 3:9
I was chosen to explain to everyone this plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

GOD
The world thinks that God’s plan is foolish for it is out of touch with reality.  The truth is that God’s plan has always been and until Christ returns will always be.  He is in touch with His creation and is seeking creations best good.  We have the privilege of sharing what God has done in Christ.  That is a powerful message that brings life to its recipients.

04/23 Ephesians 3:10-11
God’s purpose was to show his wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. They will see this when Jews and Gentiles are joined together in his church.  This was his plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

WISDOM
The Lord offers His wisdom to you.  As you grow in Christ you will grow in wisdom.  No longer in bondage to the world you will be able to make plans and live a life that is undergirded by His abundance.

04/24 Ephesians 3:12
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence, assured of his glad welcome.

WELCOME
Christ died for us.  The righteous died for the unrighteous.  We want to know Him and we need Him to grow.  Christ is our mediator between mankind and God the Father.  He is our righteousness.  Jesus is the only one we can trust in who can change us and outfit us for eternity.  In Christ we are totally reconciled with the Father.  I don’t feel fearless as I live my life in Christ but in fact we are for we come into the presence of the Lord God Almighty because of what Jesus has done for us.

04/25 Ephesians 3:13
So please don’t despair because of what they are doing to me here. It is for you that I am suffering, so you should feel honored and encouraged.

SUFFERING
We hate suffering.  We seek to avoid suffering whatever the cost.  The world will seek to make Jesus followers suffer.  The god of this world hates our Lord God and everything He does.  Be of good cheer for Jesus is risen and He is Lord.  Christ has already made a way for us and we can live and trust Him.

04/26 Ephesians 3:14-15
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

PLAN
God has a plan for each one of us.  If we will bend the knee to Christ we will discover God’s plan for our life.  I can testify from my own experience that if you will surrender you will to Jesus and let Him have control of you the Lord will reveal His plan for your life.

04/27 Ephesians 3:16
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.

RESOURCES
God has the resources to make His plan in your life victorious.  We should seek His guidance, His glorious presence to accomplish His plan in our life.  Rich or poor, free or incarcerated, wise or foolish the Lord has a unique, one of a kind plan for your life.

04/28 Ephesians 3:17
And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.

KNOW HIM
We want to know Jesus.  As we live our life under His direction we will grow and know Him.  Surrender yourself.  Spend time in prayer with Jesus and go forth each day seeking to glorify Him and you will know Him better each day.  Do not take counsel of your fears.  Surrender your life to Him.  Accept His love and live with confidence in His power.

04/29 Ephesians 3:18-19
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

POWER
Believe in Jesus.  He can give you exactly what you are looking for in life.  Each of us wants to be valuable and to live a worthy and worthwhile life.  Let Jesus have control of you.  Believe in Jesus and He will change you into Christ likeness.

04/30 Ephesians 3:20-21
Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen.

VICTORY
When we begin in Christ we begin with victory.  Our life becomes a victorious life filled with the presence of the Lord Jesus.  We only see and know a little bit about our life, time and the future.  Jesus knows all things and He will guide us day by day so that we will experience His victory in all that we do.

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03/01          John 21:1-3
Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened.  Several of the disciples were there — Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin ), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.  Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

JESUS
They didn’t understand.  They thought that the new kingdom was like the Roman Kingdom and would prevail by earthly means.  Their misconception had no impact on what God was planning.  We need to get with the Lord.  It takes time and persistence in prayer for us to grow in Christ.  The Lord is willing.  The question is do you want to develop an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus?

03/02          John 21:4-5
At dawn the disciples saw Jesus standing on the beach, but they couldn’t see who he was.  He called out, “Friends, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied.

JESUS
They didn’t recognize Jesus.  They were frustrated, heart-broken and blind to spiritual reality.  Jesus was alive and He was standing before them.  He is standing before you right now.  Ask Him into your life and let Jesus guide you today.

03/03          John 21:6
Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get plenty of fish!” So they did, and they couldn’t draw in the net because there were so many fish in it.

ACTIVE
God is active in our world.  The Disciples didn’t know that it was Jesus nor did they know what He was going to do.  The Lord was actively revealing Himself to them.  Interesting point is so often today people think they can limit God’s activity.  We cannot limit the activity of God.  God is sovereign.  Thankfully the Lord is always looking for us.  Has He found you?  Ask Him into your heart and He will come.

03/04          John 21:7
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and swam ashore.

SEEING
Seeing is believing.  Bless those that do not see and yet believe.  Peter was anxious to see the Lord, He knew He had sinned and He was aching for forgiveness and restoration.  He didn’t know how it would happen he just knew he needed it.  We need forgiveness and restoration and we don’t know how it will happen we just know we need it.  Jesus is Lord.

03/05          John 21:8-9
The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only out about three hundred feet.  When they got there, they saw that a charcoal fire was burning and fish were frying over it, and there was bread.

LIFE
We experience our interaction with the Lord in the everyday events of our life.  We may even have significant conversations with the Holy One when we are doing mundane things like preparing a meal, working at our job or relaxing from a hard day of work.  The thing to REMEMBER is that the Lord wants to be involved in all that we do and will do what is necessary to get our attention.  Our choice is whether we respond to the movement of the Lord in our life.

03/06          John 21:10-11
“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said.  So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

JESUS
Nothing escapes the notice of the Lord.  He knows everything.  We are important to Him.  Everything we do is noticed by Him.  Spend time with Jesus and He will spend time with you.

03/07          John 21:12
“Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. And no one dared ask him if he really was the Lord because they were sure of it.

JESUS
You know what the Lord wants us to do.  He is willing to give us what we need to do it.  Let the Lord have your heart and mind.  Focus your life on Jesus and you will do the things that you must do to accomplish His plan for your life.  Obedience is necessary.

03/08          John 21:13-14
Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish.  This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.

REALITY
One or two people could control a lie.  Here are the disciples meeting with Jesus for the third time.  It would be hard for that many people to keep their story straight unless it was the truth.  The truth is Jesus really died on the cross and was raised by the power of God and is seated at the right hand of the Father interceding for us right now.  He is Lord of all things and everything and He loves you.

03/09          John 21:15
After breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

RESPONSIBLE
We are responsible for the people the Lord puts us with.  We are each responsible for the other making a redundant coverage of concern and care for each person.  Who are you looking after?  Are you actively seeking the good of those around you?  Look at Jesus and do things the way He did.

03/10          John 21:16
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

ACTION
Love requires that we take action.  We are to defend, assist, care for and other things as needed for those we live with in this world.  We are our brother’s keeper.  We must learn to sacrifice.  The world can be a difficult place and we can make it less difficult by caring for those we know.  Love isn’t a spectator sport and it isn’t about us.  It’s all about Jesus.

03/11          John 21:17
Once more he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

FOCUS
What is the focus of our life?  Is it the things of the Lord Jesus or are we focused on ourselves?  How we act makes a difference.  What we do day by day reveals who we love.

03/12          John 21:18-19
The truth is, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked and go wherever you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will direct you and take you where you don’t want to go.”  Jesus said this to let him know what kind of death he would die to glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

FOLLOW ME
We follow Jesus.  We don’t follow man’s ideas, we focus on the Word of God, filled with the Spirit of God we seek to follow the Son of God.  We cannot follow Jesus if our hearts are not surrendered and we are focused on ourselves.  The only way we can follow Jesus is as a servant.

03/13          John 21:20
Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them — the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who among us will betray you?”

WHO
This is an interesting idea and obviously was true.  John was special in the eyes of Jesus.  But the truth is that He loves each one of us as if there were no other of us.  The Lord Jesus Christ died for sin that we might have real life.  There is no great love than this.  Jesus loves me.

03/14          John 21:21-22
Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”  Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You follow me.”

FOLLOW ME
Follow me is an imperative with individual implications that simply states that you, me, each one of us is called to follow Jesus.  We do not follow Him based on a comparison with others.  We are to follow Jesus based on His command: You follow Jesus at the level that is the best that you can follow.  Follow Jesus.

03/15          John 21:23
So the rumor spread among the community of believers that that disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

MYSTERY
The mystery of Scripture is that Jesus would put His power and relevance in us.  We are imbued with the power of God and therefore are called to serve Him to the best of our abilities all of the days of our life.  Follow Him.

03/16          John 21:24-25
This is that disciple who saw these events and recorded them here. And we all know that his account of these things is accurate.  And I suppose that if all the other things Jesus did were written down, the whole world could not contain the books.

JESUS
Jesus is God’s everything.  Everything we need for the Christ like life is found in Jesus.  He is able to take the person we are and make us the person He would have us to be.  The victory is won now we are living as Jesus would have us to live so that the Lord might gain great honor and glory from our Christ like life.  We cannot do it without Jesus and we don’t need anything other than Jesus to participate in His glorious victory.

03/17          Ephesians 1:1
This letter is from Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.  It is written to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.

CHOSEN, HOLY
The Lord would that no one be lost.  Yet a person has the choice of refusing God.  Tragically many do.  But you have not refused God and you have asked Christ into your heart.  He is Lord and He will be Lord of you life.  His gift of life is also a gift of His holiness making you holy.  Jesus brings to us exactly what we need.

03/18          Ephesians 1:2
May grace and peace be yours, sent to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

GRACE, PEACE
God gives me what I need and cannot earn, His Grace, in an environment that He is in control of called Peace.  I can know Him and know His direction.  As I live under His control no matter what is happening around me I will be filled with His peace.

03/19          Ephesians 1:3
How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.

JESUS
Jesus is God’s everything.  When we have Christ we have what we need to live a successful, victorious life.  We can know what we should be doing and how to do it.  As we actively do those things we can know that the Lord is on our side and therefore we have victory.  Do not be discouraged.  Jesus died on the cross for you and was raised from the dead by the Father and is this moment interceding for you with the Father.  Alive in Christ dead to sin, we cannot fail for all things are possible through Christ.

03/20          Ephesians 1:4
Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

CHOSEN
I can choose Jesus.  I can choose to follow Him.  I can choose to let Him mold me and make me into Christ likeness.  The Lord would that everyone be saved but He gives us the freedom of choice therefore we can ignore Him to our own peril or we can bend our knee in submission to Him and let Him live in us.

03/21 Ephesians 1:5-6
His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure.  So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son.

JESUS
We belong to Jesus.  When we come into the family of God we belong to a real person.  Christ is and in Him we are.  It is an eternal relationship that God has chosen us in His Son to be a part of His family.

03/22 Ephesians 1:7
He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven.

JESUS
Jesus is our righteousness.  He is the ONE that brings us into the family of God.  My freedom is a result of His shed blood.  The cost of my forgiveness was paid by Jesus.  He knew what I needed and could not earn therefore He paid the price for me.  In Jesus I am forgiven.

03/23 Ephesians 1:8
He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

VALUE
When Christ brought us into the Family of God He gave us wisdom and understanding.  We are filled with His grace and overflowing with His peace.  Jesus makes us valuable.  We have His victory in our life today.

03/24 Ephesians 1:9
God’s secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure.

PLAN
YOU are God’s property.  His plan in Christ uses us to accomplish His work here on Earth.  He has reached into our fragile state and given us eternity.  It was His free gift of forgiveness in Christ that gives us life and light.

03/25 Ephesians 1:10
And this is his plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ — everything in heaven and on earth.

ONE DAY
One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.  Is that hard for you to believe?  The truth is that Jesus is coming back and He is coming back for you and me.  His life was given as a ransom for our restoration and forgiveness.  He is our perfection.  In Jesus we have all things for He is Lord.

03/26 Ephesians 1:11-12
Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago.  God’s purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God.

BELONG
We belong to Jesus.  We don’t see it but by faith we know it.  We can praise the Father whatever our situation.  Christ Jesus is Lord and we are part of His family.

03/27 Ephesians 1:13
And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.

GOOD NEWS
Jesus gives us the Good News.  He provides a free gift from the Father: salvation.  We will no longer be slaves to sin and destruction.  By faith we have come into the Family of God and He has given us the Holy Spirit who indwells us and gives us the presence of God.  Rejoice in Jesus for He is the Holy ONE.

03/28 Ephesians 1:14
The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.

PROMISED
God promised to bring us into His Family.  He has made good on that promise in Jesus Christ who saves us from our sin and gives us eternal life.  Now we walk by faith filled with the Holy Spirit of God who gives us God’s presence.  The Father has given us His guarantee about life here and now and life eternal by giving us His Holy Spirit.

03/29 Ephesians 1:15-17
Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for Christians everywhere, I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.

SPIRITUAL WISDOM
Spiritual wisdom comes from God.  He equips use to live an abundant life and we cannot live that kind of life without wisdom from the Lord.  To know Him we must rely on His revelation of spiritual wisdom to us so that we can grow in Him.

03/30 Ephesians 1:18-20
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people.  I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

LIGHT
We serve a glorious, wondrous, loving God.  He raised Jesus from the dead and has offered us His free gift of salvation.  He beams His light upon us as we have need.  Praise God in good and bad days.  Praise God when the blessings have ceased.  In all things praise the Lord.

03/31 Ephesians 1:21-23
Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come.  And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence.

CHURCH
The church is the body of Christ active in our world.  It is perfect in Christ and is His the primary instrument Jesus uses to bring His kingdom to life in the lives of the people who are members of the church.  We do not have to worry whether or not Christ will conquer for the Lord has already ordained it and Jesus has already won the victory.

02/01          John 19:16
Then Pilate gave Jesus to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away.

POWER
Jesus surrendered himself willingly to be crucified.  He could have summoned a legion of angels to rescue Himself but He didn’t.  He went quietly and suffered willingly for our sin.  Our sin crushed Him but the power of God raised Him from the dead and He is now seated at the right hand of the Father.  What a Savior we have!

02/02          John 19:17-18
Carrying the cross by himself, Jesus went to the place called Skull Hill (in Hebrew, Golgotha).  There they crucified him. There were two others crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them.

SACRIFICE
He was our sacrifice to pay a price we couldn’t pay.  By the shedding of His blood He provided forgiveness for us.  Our responsibility is to ask Him to forgive us and believe in faith that He does.  This seems so simple and yet so many cannot make the move to believe that God loves them.

02/03          John 19:19
And Pilate posted a sign over him that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

KING
Jesus is KING of all things.  He is the KING of the universe and all creation.  Ask Him to forgive you and come into your heart.  Believing by faith that He has done this let Him walk with you and change your life.  A new life is a walk with the KING.

02/04          John 19:20-22
The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it.  Then the leading priests said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.'”  Pilate replied, “What I have written, I have written. It stays exactly as it is.”

CONTROL
Pilate thought he was in control.  All he had to do was appease the Jews.  God is in control.  He uses whatever he has to in accomplishing his purposes.  He used Pilate to finalize His dramatic rescue plan for mankind.  As the minions of Satan rejoiced at the death of the Christ, the Lord already knew it was another step in His redemption of mankind.  Thank the Lord for His merciful and gracious gift of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.

02/05          John 19:23-24
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from the top.  So they said, “Let’s not tear it but throw dice to see who gets it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my clothes among themselves and threw dice for my robe.” So that is what they did.

CLOAK
Life is serious, difficult and often unfair.  When we come to the Lord He knows what we are facing and He will give us His power to deal with the difficulties of life.  Everyone has a hard time.  We choose how a hard time will change us.  Let God have control of your daily life and He will guide you through the difficult times.

02/06          John 19:25-27
Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Woman, he is your son.”  And he said to this disciple, “She is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

JESUS
Dying on the cross Jesus was still concerned about His mother.  He is concerned about you.  He would that you would let Him solve your problems.  Focus your heart and mind on Jesus and He will give you the encouragement and solution that you need.  We are promised an abundant life in Christ.

02/07          John 19:28-30
Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures he said, “I am thirsty.”  A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips.  When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

LIFE
Jesus gave up His life.  They didn’t steal it from Him because He willingly gave up His life as a sacrifice for us.  The world focuses on the negative side of everything.  Jesus calls us to focus on Him for He is light and life for a dying world.

02/08          John 19:31
The Jewish leaders didn’t want the victims hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath at that, because it was the Passover), so they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down.

FORM
People generally opt for the form of something versus the substance.  Jesus has just died, paying the price to reconcile the world to the Father.  What people don’t realize is that while they are busy with their activity focusing on the form of it they may very well miss the presence of the Lord Jesus.  At Passover the true Lamb of God spread His blood across the wooden cross and paid the price we could not pay to give us a gift we could not earn.  Jesus is Lord and He loves you.

02/09          John 19:32-33
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus.  But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was dead already, so they didn’t break his legs.

PROPHECY
Prophecy fulfilled, not a bone broken (Psalm 34:20.)  The Father is concerned about His creation.  He gave us this prophecy so that we would know that He was actively inserting His plans into our world.  He wasn’t distant.  He wasn’t uncaring.  In fact He cares so much for us that He gave His only son that we might have life.

02/10          John 19:34-37
One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out.  This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account; it is presented so that you also can believe.  These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and “They will look on him whom they pierced.”

WORD
God’s Word is written to us as a manual for life.  In it God gives us the things that we need to make the kind of life that will honor Him and serve Him.  Very simple yet mankind makes it very complex.  The truth is obey the Lord and He will give you guidance for your daily life.

02/11          John 19:38
Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body down. When Pilate gave him permission, he came and took the body away.

DISCIPLE
There are no secret disciples in the family of God.  We are to be His representative here on Earth.  If I am filled with the Spirit of God I will overflow with a witness to Him.  Witnessing should be a part of my day to day life.  I spend time with Jesus and let Jesus express Himself thru me.

02/12          John 19:39-42
Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night, also came, bringing about seventy-five pounds of embalming ointment made from myrrh and aloes.  Together they wrapped Jesus’ body in a long linen cloth with the spices, as is the Jewish custom of burial.  The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before.  And so, because it was the day of preparation before the Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

GARDEN TOMB
In Jerusalem there is a place near the Damascus Gate called the Garden Tomb.  It resembles the description above.  It is a quiet garden in the middle of a lot of people and mechanical noise a restful place that gives one time to pause and contemplate.  I’ve visited this location many times when in Israel.  One thing I know He is risen and is not in any tomb.

02/13          John 20:1
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.

REALITY
Jesus is the Lord.  Mary and the disciples are going to learn that first hand.  We weren’t there 2,000 years ago but each one of us that have come into His Kingdom have experienced first hand the risen Lord.  Jesus is Lord.

02/14          John 20:2
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!”

MARY
Mary didn’t know that Jesus had risen.  It didn’t dawn on her at that time what had happened.  Until they see Jesus they are not able to comprehend God’s victory on the Cross.  Jesus is alive today and He is interceding for us with the Father.  He loves you.

02/15          John 20:3-5
Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.  The other disciple outran Peter and got there first.  He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in.

ANXIETY
Anxiety was the emotion that John was feeling.  He was missing the Lord Jesus deeply and was feeling defeated.  What would they do next?  John wasn’t sure.  The cloth was there but Jesus wasn’t.  No sense of victory here but the truth was that victory was staring them in the face but their brain couldn’t comprehend what had happened.  Jesus had risen.  Death had been defeated.

02/16          John 20:6-7
Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying to the side.

WHAT?
What did this mean?  Peter wasn’t sure exactly what this meant.  At this moment Peter had not connected the dots.  For us it means salvation.  Christ died for you and me.  Christ rose from the dead by the power of God so that we could have His free gift of life-Life in Christ.

02/17          John 20:8-10
Then the other disciple also went in, and he saw and believed — for until then they hadn’t realized that the Scriptures said he would rise from the dead.  Then they went home.

BELIEVE
John believed that Jesus rose from the dead.  He saw the tomb.  He saw the resurrected Jesus.  Do you believe?  The witness is in the Word and in your heart.  The Holy Spirit will confirm to you that Jesus is alive and He is alive in you.

02/18          John 20:11-13
Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.  She saw two white-robed angels sitting at the head and foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.  “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.”

LOVE
She had a great love for Jesus.  The Romans didn’t scare her.  Now it seems as though someone has stolen His body.  She didn’t have great theological ideas about Christ she was totally sold out to following Him and confident that the end result would be good.  She trusted Jesus but she hadn’t worked out what had happened yet in her mind.  She simply shared from her heart.  “Where did they put Him?”  We don’t have to be theological scholars to have a close, solid relationship with Jesus.  Our faith can be immovable.  If we believe, simply believe then we will be way ahead of where we would be if we were a doubting Thomas.

02/19          John 20:14-15
She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him.  “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.”

SEE
Do you see what is going on in your life?  Have you taken God’s Word and measured you actions?  When we are looking for something different than what we see we often overlook what is right before us.  Are you living the life God called you to live?  If you aren’t go to Jesus and He will get you back on track.

02/20          John 20:16-17
“Mary!” Jesus said.  She turned toward him and exclaimed, “Teacher!”  “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.”

SEE
Jesus speaks and He is recognized.  He has risen and the first thing He does is to reveal Himself to His followers.  If you find yourself alone and a long way from Jesus, it isn’t because Jesus walked away from you.  Return to Him and let Jesus heal you.  Rejoin your walk with Christ.

02/21          John 20:18
Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

TESTIMONY
When we see the Lord we will not let anyone stop us from talking about Him.  Witnessing is simple when you are in close communion with Jesus.  Just tell others what Christ is doing in your life.

02/22          John 20:19-20
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.  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!

JOY
When we walk with the Lord our joy is complete.  Whatever happens to us we can overcome because our joy is in Christ.  He is Lord and He loves us and will never leave us.  Jesus changes the way we see our life for He has a plan for our life and no one or no thing can stop us.

02/23          John 20:21-23
He spoke to them again and said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  Then he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven.”

PEACE
Jesus brings peace into our life.  When we are filled with the Lord we will have peace like a river flowing through us and touching every area of our life.  When we choose to go on our own we quickly find that peace has left us.  We don’t generate peace.  Peace is one of the resources we have when we are walking with the Lord.

02/24          John 20:24-25
One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin ), was not with the others when Jesus came.  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.”

BELIEVE
Even though you have not seen Him you believe.  Claim the life of Christ in you and He will come and reside in you.  We accept Christ by faith and we live by faith.  We believe He is with us and He promises that when we believe He will be with us.  We can live with confidence that Jesus is with us when we follow Him.

02/25          John 20:26
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.”

PEACE
Jesus comes in and His peace is available for you.  Spend time with Jesus.  He will calm the chaos, clear out the fears of life and give us His peace and confidence.  We too will be able to say that there is nothing that can destroy us.  Jesus is in me and I have light for living.  He will guide me and equip me to deal with real life.

02/26          John 20:27
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!”

BELIEVE

Step forward and ask Christ to be in control of your life.  You have to give it to Him because He will not take our life unless we surrender it to Him.  In Christ we can do all things.

02/27          John 20:28-29
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.  Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.”

BELIEVE
The Lord’s promise to you is that He will be with you.  You will never be alone.  You do not have to face life by yourself.  The Lord Himself will stand with you and equip you to do the next right thing.  Come Lord Jesus.

02/28          John 20:30-31
Jesus’ disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book.  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.

LIFE
Eternal life is difficult for us to comprehend.  In fact what we will have is life like Jesus had.  We will never be disconnected from the Father.  We will be into relationship with Him forever.  Come and accept what Jesus is offering.  Accept Christ as your Lord and Savior and live with Him.

01/01 Isaiah 63:7-14
7 I will tell of the LORD’s unfailing love. I will praise the LORD for all he has done. I will rejoice in his great goodness to Israel, which he has granted according to his mercy and love. 8 He said, “They are my very own people. Surely they will not be false again.” And he became their Savior. 9 In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years. 10 But they rebelled against him and grieved his Holy Spirit. That is why he became their enemy and fought against them. 11 Then they remembered those days of old when Moses led his people out of Egypt. They cried out, “Where is the one who brought Israel through the sea, with Moses as their shepherd? Where is the one who sent his Holy Spirit to be among his people? 12 Where is the one whose power divided the sea before them, when Moses lifted up his hand, establishing his reputation forever? 13 Where is the one who led them through the bottom of the sea? They were like fine stallions racing through the desert, never stumbling. 14 As with cattle going down into a peaceful valley, the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest. You led your people, LORD, and gained a magnificent reputation.”
WITH YOU
God is with you. Christ came into our world and He is with us as we live our life. One day at a time. Day by day the Lord stands with us as we seek to grow in Him and follow Him. Surrender your life to Jesus for He knows the way.

01/01          John 17:19-20
And I give myself entirely to you so they also might be entirely yours.  “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony.

FOCUS
You are the focus of the Christ.  Jesus loves us.  As you begin the new year remember that Jesus is at work thinking about you, remembering you and seeking your best good.  Rejoice for we have a mighty Savior!

01/02          John 17:21-23
My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father — that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.  “I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are — I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one. Then the world will know that you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me.

FILLED
Jesus is more concerned for us than we are for ourselves.  He knows what we need and is busy providing for our needs.  He wants to be a part of all that we do.  He is willing to listen to us as we detail our life and needs.  He will be patient with our incessant pleas.  He will fix our character.  He will heal us from our sin.  Jesus is alive and He wants to live in us.

01/03          John 17:24-26
Father, I want these whom you’ve given me to be with me, so they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me even before the world began! “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me.  And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you. I will do this so that your love for me may be in them and I in them.”

FORTH-RIGHT
Jesus speaks so that we understand.  His words come from the very essence of life-for He is life and light for sin weary lives.  As the new year continues to unfold spend time with Jesus.  He will spend time with you.  He knows all about you.  He knows your needs.  Ask Him and trust His answer.

01/04          John 18:1-3
After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees.  Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had gone there many times with his disciples.  The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a battalion of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove.

EVIL
Evil is always afoot.  Swirling around our lives is a foulness of evil that we too often miss.  Time in prayer with Jesus will keep us on the right path.  Obedience to Christ will clearly mark our path and we will not be overwhelmed by the trickery of the enemy.  We are at war with this world, the things of this world and need Christ to guide our path.

01/05          John 18:4-5
Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him. Stepping forward to meet them, he asked, “Whom are you looking for?”  “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. Judas was standing there with them when Jesus identified himself.

YES
Jesus answers us with YES.  Yes He will save us.  Yes He will listen to us.  Yes we belong to Him and nothing can separate us from His love.  Yes we are complete in Christ.  Yes our life is going to work out well.  Yes He is looking for us and looking out for us.  Jesus is Lord

01/06          John 18:6-7
And as he said, “I am he,” they all fell backward to the ground!  Once more he asked them, “Whom are you searching for?” And again they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

CHRIST
The Christ came into the world that mankind might be saved.  He didn’t try to duck His assignment and He trusted the Father absolutely.  His obedience to the Father is a wonderful example for us.  His walk is the path for us.  His life is the key for us to appropriate a Godly lifestyle.  Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and will one day soon return for His children.

01/07          John 18:8-9
“I told you that I am he,” Jesus said. “And since I am the one you want, let these others go.”  He did this to fulfill his own statement: “I have not lost a single one of those you gave me.”

ALWAYS
Jesus is always looking out for us.  It is important for us to spend time with Him so that He can direct our path.  Many heartaches and hurts could be avoided if we took everything to the Lord in prayer.

01/08          John 18:10-11
Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant.  But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup the Father has given me?”

OBEDIENCE
Even unto death Jesus was obedient to the Father.  He knew why He came to Earth.  His walk was a walk of complete obedience to the Father.  He endured the pain and the ignominy that His obedience brought.  He never wavered.  His life was a perfect life lived by one like us yet at the same time fully God.  Jesus Christ is King of all things and Lord of life.

01/09          John 18:12-13
So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied him up.  First they took him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.

FOOLISH
The priests and other religious leaders were the wise of Israel.  They were the lovers of God.  But their love had been derailed by sin.  In their sin they did not recognize the One that they claimed to follow.  All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.

01/10          John 18:14
Caiaphas was the one who had told the other Jewish leaders, “Better that one should die for all.”

JESUS
Unknowingly the Jewish leaders had surrendered themselves to Satan.  They thought they were in control when in fact they were simply actors on the stage of human history.  The activity was totally under the Father’s control.  Do not be mislead, God is in Control.

01/11          John 18:15-17
Simon Peter followed along behind, as did another of the disciples. That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest, so he was allowed to enter the courtyard with Jesus.  Peter stood outside the gate. Then the other disciple spoke to the woman watching at the gate, and she let Peter in.  The woman asked Peter, “Aren’t you one of Jesus’ disciples?””No,” he said, “I am not.”

NO
No was a word that reverberated throughout the rest of Peter’s life.  The question from Jesus to Peter was Peter do you love me?  Our love is expressed in the way we deal with others, especially those that mistreat us.  Must I minister to the unlovely, the poor, the widow, the outcast?  The answer is YES.  Don’t let NO trip up your ministry.  As you are given chances to minister to others take it and do it.

01/12          John 18:18
The guards and the household servants were standing around a charcoal fire they had made because it was cold. And Peter stood there with them, warming himself.

PETER
Have you ever boasted about something and later wish you hadn’t.  Peter was near where they were beating Jesus.  He knew it was only going to get worse.  When asked if he was a follower his fear encouraged him to lie and he did.  Three times Peter lied.  It was a bitter pill to swallow.  Proud, courageous, boastful Peter was a fraud.  Have you ever felt that way?  Go to Jesus.  Confess your sin.  Ask HIM to renew your strength and get you back on the right path.

01/13          John 18:19-21
Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them.  Jesus replied, “What I teach is widely known, because I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple. I have been heard by people everywhere, and I teach nothing in private that I have not said in public.  Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said.”

RESPONSE
Jesus responded to the question in a kind and truthful way.  He knew what He would face and His strength came from the Father.  Even when He was prodded He didn’t strike back.  His grace and mercy are beyond comprehension.  He is a model for us to imitate.

01/14          John 18:22-23
One of the Temple guards standing there struck Jesus on the face. “Is that the way to answer the high priest?” he demanded.  Jesus replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must give evidence for it. Should you hit a man for telling the truth?”

TRUTH
The world does not recognize nor does it accept spiritual truth.  The Spiritual Leadership of Israel was standing before the Lord and they did not know it.  Be careful how you deal with truth.  Remember to apply spiritual truth to your self first and be hesitant to judge someone else.

01/15          John 18:24
Then Annas bound Jesus and sent him to Caiaphas, the high priest.

LIE
Each person involved in the persecution and subsequent death on the cross of Jesus was promulgating a lie.  They did not care about the truth they only were interested in an outcome that they could manage.  There was no faith.  There was no fairness.  Tragically we think that those people 2,000 years ago were so evil and yet even today we would do the same thing.  Why, because it was sin that killed Jesus on the cross and we continue to sin to this very day.  We must look to ourselves when we deal with sin.

01/16          John 18:25
Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire, they asked him again, “Aren’t you one of his disciples?””I am not,” he said.

FEAR
Fear makes us stupid.  Peter loved Jesus and yet here he was a second time denying Jesus.  There is no fear in God and we can live a life without fear.  If we have come to Christ in faith and believe that He has saved us we can live with confidence that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ.

01/17          John 18:26-27
But one of the household servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Didn’t I see you out there in the olive grove with Jesus?”  Again Peter denied it. And immediately a rooster crowed.

DENIAL
Do we do the same thing?  We promise Jesus that we aren’t going to do that thing that we do over and over again and then we do it.  At the time we are moving along our merry way but then the conviction of sin sets in and we realize that we have done it again.  Lord help me with my unbelief and evil ways.

01/18          John 18:28
Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas ended in the early hours of the morning. Then he was taken to the headquarters of the Roman governor. His accusers didn’t go in themselves because it would defile them, and they wouldn’t be allowed to celebrate the Passover feast.

FOOLISH
Foolish leaders focused on things and not people.  People count first with God.  Too often in the activities of man things become the focus.  God calls us to love the Lord with all of our heart and our neighbor as ourselves.  Just like the world today this was all about power and control and Jesus was evil’s pawn so evil thought.  In truth God was providing for our forgiveness in the midst of this evil persecution and trial.

01/19          John 18:29-32
So Pilate, the governor, went out to them and asked, “What is your charge against this man?”  “We wouldn’t have handed him over to you if he weren’t a criminal!” they retorted.  “Then take him away and judge him by your own laws,” Pilate told them. “Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied.  This fulfilled Jesus’ prediction about the way he would die.

CROSS
The cross was the preferred way the Romans executed someone.  It was cruel and painful and totally debased the individual.  Evil wanted the most horrible way possible to destroy the Christ, the Messiah.  The Lord redeemed what we could not imagine being redeemable.  Jesus is Lord.

01/20          John 18:33-35
Then Pilate went back inside and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the King of the Jews?” he asked him.  Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?”  “Am I a Jew?” Pilate asked. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you here. Why? What have you done?”

PILATE
Pilate was mean, evil, wicked and bad.  There was no compassion in his heart.  He cared little for the Jewish leaders but was in a tense relationship with Rome therefore he acceded to their demands.  There is no innocence here.  Evil is alive and well on Planet Earth.  You should know that in your journey you may run into pure evil.  When you do RUN for you cannot bargain with evil.

01/21          John 18:36
Then Jesus answered, “I am not an earthly king. If I were, my followers would have fought when I was arrested by the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

JESUS
Jesus knew why He came and what He was supposed to do.  How about your life?  Have you come to grips with your life goal?  Are you letting daily problems distract you?  Keep your focus on Jesus and you will hear Him as He guides your every step.

01/22          John 18:37
Pilate replied, “You are a king then?” “You say that I am a king, and you are right,” Jesus said. “I was born for that purpose. And I came to bring truth to the world. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

BIBLE
The Bible reveals God’s truth to us.  The Holy Spirit galvanizes that truth in our soul.  The Lord Jesus enables us to live the truth of God.  Without Him we will get off base immediately.  Biblical truth without Jesus creates the Inquisition.  Everything we do must be under the control of Jesus.

01/23          John 18:38-39
“What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime. But you have a custom of asking me to release someone from prison each year at Passover. So if you want me to, I’ll release the King of the Jews.”

EVIL
Evil comes gently and quietly into our midst.  Be careful what you accept as truth.  Be careful that you are not being fooled by its offer.  Do the next right thing.  Pilate was committing the evil and acting as though he had nothing to do with it.

01/24          John 18:40
But they shouted back, “No! Not this man, but Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a criminal.)

CROWD
Those that were members of the crowd were foolishly manipulated as though they were not individually responsible for the group decision.  We cannot avoid the guilt of complicity with evil by melting into a group.  It was the group that did it, etc.  You and I did it.  We accused Him and condemned Him.  Out of our sin we met the limitless love of God in Jesus for the Father raised Him from the dead defeating death and providing life for us.

01/25          John 19: 1-2
Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip.  The soldiers made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head, and they put a royal purple robe on him.

JESUS
He could have called a legion of angels but He didn’t.  He knew the suffering we go through because of our sin and He chose to take our stripes, our pain and give us life.  His choice-our blessing.

01/26          John 19: 3-4
“Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, and they hit him with their fists.  Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.”

JESUS
Claiming that he wasn’t guilty when it was his responsibility did not relieve Pilate of his guilt.  You too cannot avoid responsibility for your acts by claiming I didn’t choose.  The truth is we either choose to follow Jesus or failing to choose we have chosen not to follow Jesus.  There is no middle road in eternity.

01/27          John 19:5-6
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Here is the man!”  When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify! Crucify!””You crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”

CONDEMNED
They thought they were condemning Jesus to death.  His death under the power of God became life.  Satan was defeated.  We are given the opportunity to choose life.  We can choose to follow Jesus and follow Him or we can choose to go our own way.  Following Jesus results in an eternal relationship.

01/28          John 19:7-9
The Jewish leaders replied, “By our laws he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.”  When Pilate heard this, he was more frightened than ever.  He took Jesus back into the headquarters again and asked him, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave no answer.

WHERE?
Do you know Jesus?   Do you know that some people don’t even want to know Jesus, in fact more than half of the world population doesn’t know Jesus.  Pilate was always trying to stay on the right side of power.  He was nervous about Rome since they had called him home twice to lecture him on the way he ran his business.  His concern I think was who Jesus knew in Rome or was he related to someone that could get him, Pilate, in trouble with Rome.  Jesus is from God, fully God and fully man, the eternal Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

01/29          John 19:10
“You won’t talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or to crucify you?”

POWER
Pilate thought he was in control, that Rome was the real power in this world.  The real power is God.  God was at work in Christ to provide for reconciliation with a dead, lost world.  Jesus is the real Lord.  Rome was passing away.

01/30          John 19:11-12
Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who brought me to you has the greater sin.”  Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders told him, “If you release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.”

JESUS
The real power is Christ.  Jesus is able to do whatever we need to bring us to the Father.  His grace is sufficient.  We live under His grace and mercy.  We live because we have been born again by the power of God.  Our life belongs to Christ.  Remember as you go through this day that Jesus is standing with you so that you might have an abundant life.

01/31          John 19:13-15
When they said this, Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha).  It was now about noon of the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, “Here is your king!”  “Away with him,” they yelled. “Away with him — crucify him!””What? Crucify your king?” Pilate asked.”We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back.

GUILTY
People are guilty of their sin.  Without Jesus we are dead in our trespasses and sin.  Without Jesus there is no forgiveness of sin.  You cannot reason your way into God’s Kingdom.  You cannot work your way into God’s Kingdom.  The only way to the Father is through Jesus.

12/01          John 15:1-2
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.

WISDOM
Too many times I’ve made decisions without consulting the Lord.  The aftermath is that I’ve had to seek the Lord to get out of the mess I’ve made.  We need a close relationship with Jesus to guide us on God’s plan for our life.  This is a constant need for us to accomplish what the Father has marked out for us to do.  I cannot produce without the life of Christ indwelling me.

12/02          John 15:3-4
You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you.  Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me.

JESUS
Jesus is our life.  He gives us life and enables us to walk a Godly path.  His wisdom, His strength and His peace are necessary for me to maintain a Godly walk and a Godly life.

12/03          John 15:5
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

NOTHING
Jesus doesn’t say we can do some things or little things.  He said we can do nothing without Him.  I need time with Jesus.  I need time for Him to lay out His plans for me.  I need to listen to Him.  I need Jesus in every aspect of my life.

12/04          John 15:6-7
Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.  But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted!

FOLLOW
We are called to follow Jesus.  We can be confident that the Lord will listen to us and will respond to our needs.  But we have to ask.  Spend time with the Lord and talk with Him about your needs.  Remember to ask before you act.

12/05          John 15:8-9
My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father.  “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.

FRUIT
Have you ever wondered what fruit is?  Obedience to Jesus produces fruit.  We sow, the Lord waters and Jesus gives new life.  When we introduce Jesus to others we are working in the garden of life and the Lord is responsible for giving new life.  We are responsible for sharing Jesus.

12/06          John 15:10-11
When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

JOY
Joy is not an emotion it is a position.  When we are doing what the Lord says and living the way the Lord commands we will experience His joy.  This world cannot take away our joy for our joy is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

12/07          John 15:12-13
I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you.  And here is how to measure it — the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.

OBEY
I have a choice.  I can do what Jesus asks me to do or spurn His love and ignore His command.  The Christian life isn’t difficult.  What is difficult is trying to live like the world and call myself a Christian.  It shows when I am not living like Jesus says.

12/08          John 15:14
You are my friends if you obey me.

TEST
This is a test.  It is a simple test.  It is a test that we will know absolutely without any doubt and beyond any misunderstanding whether we are a child of God.  Am I obeying Jesus?  If I obey Him I belong to Him.  If I don’t obey Him I am not His child.

12/09          John 15:15-16
I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.   You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

FRIEND
Jesus calls us His friend.  What a friend we have in Jesus.  It is more than a slogan.  It is a reality.  As you go through your quiet time remember that Jesus is your friend.

12/10          John 15:17
I command you to love each other.

OBEY
The charge is to love one another.  We will have to be under the control of Jesus Christ to love others.  Some are unlovely, some are different, some are impossible and so on but the call to OBEY is love each other.  Put that idea in your heart and go do it.

12/11          John 15:18-19
“When the world hates you, remember it hated me before it hated you.  The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don’t. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you.

WORLD
The world, the flesh and the devil are constantly pulling at us to go their way.  Follow Jesus.  We are called to be like Him and to do the things that He would do.  Follow Jesus.

12/12          John 15:20
Do you remember what I told you? ‘A servant is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you!

LIFE
The Christian Life is a call to surrender to Jesus and to serve Him by serving others.  We evaluate our situations in life based on His call of us to be a servant.  Surrender and obey are two things that we too often forget as we live a Christian Life.

12/13          John 15:21-22
The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don’t know God who sent me.  They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin.

SIN
Sin destroys people.  Sin enslaves, accuses, abuses and misuses people.  Jesus delivered us from sin.  The lost are still in bondage to sin.  Remember when you suffer for Jesus sake that the lost always act like the lost for they are dead in their trespasses and sin and do not know the Lord.  They are guilty of their sin but without Jesus they cannot do anything about their sin.

12/14          John 15:23-24
Anyone who hates me hates my Father, too.  If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be counted guilty. But as it is, they saw all that I did and yet hated both of us — me and my Father.

TRUTH
Jesus tells us the truth.  We can know exactly where we stand.  Do we love Jesus?  We cannot separate the Godhead for Jesus identifies Himself, the Father and Holy Spirit as ONE.  Jesus is Lord.

12/15          John 15:25-27
This has fulfilled what the Scriptures said: ‘They hated me without cause.’   “But I will send you the Counselor — the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about me.  And you must also tell others about me because you have been with me from the beginning.

TELL
When you are filled with the Holy Spirit and focused on Jesus you will tell others what is happening in your life.  The activity of Jesus in our life will so overwhelm your mind and heart that witnessing will be as simple as breathing.  What is hard is trying to tell others about what Jesus is doing in your life and He isn’t doing anything because you have walked away from Him.  It is hard to fake Christ likeness.

12/16          John 16:1-2
“I have told you these things so that you won’t fall away.  For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing God a service.

OFFENSE
The world will take offense at you talking about Jesus.  It is lost and a lost world wants no part of spiritual things.  Remember when you talk about Jesus some folks will respond negatively.

12/17          John 16:3
This is because they have never known the Father or me.

TRUTH
There is no fence sitting with God.  We either accept Him or if we don’t accept Him we have denied Him.  Spend time with the Lord and obey Him.

12/18          John 16:4
Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember I warned you. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.

EVENTS
We waste a lot of time trying to discern the future.  If we do the best we know and in doing that are obedient to the Lord we will always be right.  What we do now determines what we will do in the future.  Our actions reveal who we are and what we will do.

12/19          John 16:5
“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you has asked me where I am going.

FOOLISH
The apostles heard Jesus but didn’t understand Him.  We read God’s Word but don’t understand it.  The Bible is absolutely personal.  It is speaking about and to us.  When we read it we need to understand that the Lord is revealing human nature to us and we should beware of the warnings or we may fall prey to the evil in the world or the evil one.

12/20          John 16:6-7
Instead, you are very sad.  But it is actually best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Counselor won’t come. If I do go away, he will come because I will send him to you.

HOLY SPIRIT
We are filled with the Holy Spirit of God.  He will guide us.  He will quicken our hearts and protect our minds in Christ Jesus.  The Lord is with us and His wisdom, mercy and grace accompany us as we move through life.  The Lord is alive and He lives in us.

12/21          Matthew 1:18-25
Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  Joseph, her fiancée, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.  As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.  And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  All of this happened to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us).”  When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

JESUS
Jesus is Lord.  We don’t make Him Lord because He always was, is and will be Lord.

12/22          Matthew 2:1-6
Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him.”  Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem.  He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. “Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?” he asked them.  “In Bethlehem,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ ”

JESUS
Jesus is the reason for the season.  Spend time with Him and you will spend less time wandering and wondering.

12/23          Matthew 2:7-12
Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star.   Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”  After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!  They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

JESUS
Jesus knew what He was doing when He willing stepped down off of His throne in Glory and accepted the Father’s call to come and die for mankind.

12/24          Luke 2:1-7
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.  (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  All returned to their own towns to register for this census.  And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time.  And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

JESUS
Jesus is always focused.  He does the Father’s work and maintains His watchcare over us.  Life in Christ is real life.

12/25          Luke 2:8-20
That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened,   but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!  The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!”  Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others — the armies of heaven — praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. ”  When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.  Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.  All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often.  The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.

JESUS
Jesus gives life and bestows peace, joy and grace on each of us.  If we don’t ask Jesus to give us life then we are dead in our trespasses and sin.

12/26          John 16:8-9
And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.  The world’s sin is unbelief in me.

SIN
Sin is pervasive in the world.  It touches every single person, everything in the world.  It is diplomatic, automatic, subversive, sensual, and whatever else it needs to be to enslave you.  We cannot save our self from sin.  Only Jesus can deliver us from sin and He does it willingly and completely.

12/27          John 16:10-11
Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more.  Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged.

SIN
Sin is evil.  Sin is real.  You sin, I sin, everyone sins.  We cannot escape it.  We can go to Jesus and ask Him to forgive us our sin, cleanse us from unrighteousness and bring us into the family of God.  It is His free gift that is priceless and free.  You can have forgiveness by asking Jesus to save you and forgive your sin.

12/28          John 16:12-13
“Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now.   When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

JESUS
Jesus saves us from our sin.  He gives us life and light for living.  He will guide our way.  Jesus will equip us to be obedient and we can choose to be obedient.  Jesus is the way the truth and the life.  In Him we have everything we need from God to lead a Godly life.  Trust Jesus with your life.

12/29          John 16:14-15
He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me.  All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me.

JESUS
Jesus lives with us.  He indwells us.  He enables us.  Jesus gives us what we need to lead a Holy Spirit filled life.  Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one and in Him, Jesus, we are saved from the world and transferred from death to life.  Jesus is Lord.

12/30          John 16:16
“In just a little while I will be gone, and you won’t see me anymore. Then, just a little while after that, you will see me again.”

PRESENT
Jesus is here with us.  He loves us.  He is seeking our best good.  Talk with Jesus.  Ask Him for the things you need.  He will not let you down.  He will deliver you.  Obey Him, trust in His promises (7,000+) in the Bible.  Claim those promises day by day and live your life for Christ.

12/31          John 16:17-18
The disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘You won’t see me, and then you will see me’? And what does he mean when he says, ‘I am going to the Father’?  And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

TRUST
There are times we will not understand what Jesus is calling us to do.  Trust Him. Trust Him with your life.  Give Him your obedience.  Listen to Him and serve Him.  Jesus is worthy of all of our life therefore follow Him and do as He says.

11/01          John 13:1-2
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love.  It was time for supper, and the Devil had already enticed Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to carry out his plan to betray Jesus.

BETRAYAL
Judas betrayed Jesus as a matter of the course of his life.  He loved money more than he loved the Lord.  He loved his way better than God’s way.  What way are you traveling?  Are you surrendered to the Lord and going His way or are you caught up with self and doing your own thing?  We cannot follow the world and serve Jesus.

11/02          John 13:3-5
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him.

FAITH
Faith is what we believe to be true and act upon it.  If we love God and know He is in charge we will live like Jesus lived.  We will serve Him faithfully.  If we do not have faith that the Lord is in control we will follow our own way, living like the world and miss what God has for us.  Serving God is easy if we are focused on Jesus.

11/03          John 13:6-8
When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, why are you going to wash my feet?”  Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now why I am doing it; someday you will.”  “No,” Peter protested, “you will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “But if I don’t wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

GIFT
Jesus models the gift of servant hood.  Serving frees us to be of value and to grow in value.  Service is the opposite of the world.  The world only seeks to be served.  When we follow Jesus we see the value in everyone and seize the opportunity to be of service to them.  People need help and Christ followers are helpers.

11/04          John 13:9-10
Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”  Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you are clean, but that isn’t true of everyone here.”

CLEANSING
Cleansing of our soul is the done by God.  If we are trying to “fix” our life by making ourselves good enough then we are on the wrong track.  Only the Lord Jesus can forgive our sin.  Only the Lord Jesus can “fix” what is wrong in us.  Go to Jesus and tell Him your troubles and let Him cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

11/05          John 13:11-12
For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”  After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?

EVIL
There are evil people in the world.  You know some evil people and may even have befriended them.  Who are they?  Anyone who has not asked Jesus to come into their life is outside of the family of God and is dead in their trespasses and sin.  They may seem to be good but in fact they are not.  Be careful who you follow.  Pay attention to the ideas that you let have control of your mind.

11/06          John 13:13-15
You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because it is true.  And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.  I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

FOLLOW
We study God’s Word so that we can know what Jesus did.  We are to live as He lived, totally submitted to the Father.  I know that I will make mistakes and fail.  I go to Jesus for direction, guidance and forgiveness.  I begin again to follow Him.  Our growth involves a lot of correction.  Follow the Lord and you will grow.

11/07          John 13:16-17
How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them.  You know these things — now do them! That is the path of blessing.

AGENDA
What is your agenda?  Are you striving to be important or are you seeking to elevate Jesus?  The world wants to be important.  We want to tell everyone about Jesus.  Submit your agenda to Jesus and follow Him.

11/08          John 13:18-19
“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know so well each one of you I chose. The Scriptures declare, ‘The one who shares my food has turned against me,’ and this will soon come true.  I tell you this now, so that when it happens you will believe I am the Messiah.

LORD
Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah of God and He is the One referenced in Scripture.  Call upon Him and you will be saved.  Follow Him and you will grow and be used and useful in the kingdom.  Get to know Jesus and it will equip you to lead an abundant life.

11/09          John 13:20
Truly, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”

JESUS
Jesus is Lord.  He is Lord of life and Lord of all.  He is the creator and the bright and morning star.  He is the alpha and the omega.  He is door and what we find on the other side of the door.  Jesus is Lord and He is able to give us hope and joy and lasting peace.  Follow the Lord.

11/10          John 13:21-26
Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit, and he exclaimed, “The truth is, one of you will betray me!”  The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean.  One of Jesus’ disciples, the one Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus at the table.  Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who would do this terrible thing.  Leaning toward Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”  Jesus said, “It is the one to whom I give the bread dipped in the sauce.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.

WISDOM
We need wisdom from the Lord to make good decisions.  Daily we need His wisdom.  We need it to maintain good personal relationships.  We need it to fight sin.  We need it to stay on the right path in life.  We need His wisdom to fight disappointment and failure.  Every day in every way we need wisdom from the Lord.

11/11          John 13:27-30
As soon as Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry. Do it now.”  None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant.  Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor.  So Judas left at once, going out into the night.

ATTACK
Without Jesus we would be under attack by demons and minions of Satan all the time.  The Lord is with us and He will shield us.  When you feel like something heavy is weighing upon your mind ask the Lord for peace.  Stay close to Jesus and He will shelter you from attack.

11/12          John 13:31-32
As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for me, the Son of Man, to enter into my glory, and God will receive glory because of all that happens to me.  And God will bring me into my glory very soon.

SURRENDER
Jesus consistently puts Himself under the Father’s control.  His will is to do the will of the Father.  Surrender control of your life to Jesus.  Let Him guide you.  Ask Him to give you wisdom to know the next right thing to do.

11/13          John 13:33-35
Dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me — just as I told the Jewish leaders.  So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

LOVE
People are people.  They can be difficult to love.  The Lord calls us to love one another not because we are lovely but because we love Jesus.  When Christ is in control of us He will give us the wisdom we need to see others the way He sees them.  Look around.  Those are the people you are called to love.

11/14          John 13:36-38
Simon Peter said, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”  “But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I am ready to die for you.”   Jesus answered, “Die for me? No, before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.

WHO?
We are critical of Peter but do we do any better?  Remember that secret sin that only you know about?  You give it to the Lord and vow never again and before you hardly get the words out of your mouth it pops its ugly head up.  We make excuses and act as though we are exempt from God’s rules.  We are not and we must learn to fight against sin especially sin in our life.  Confess your sin and walk away from it to Jesus.

11/15          John 14:1-2
“Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me.  There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly.

ETERNAL
Jesus is here with us right now.  He will be with us tomorrow.  He will never leave us.  When we die we will immediately be with Him in eternity.  Jesus is Lord and He is forever.

11/16          John 14:3-4
When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.  And you know where I am going and how to get there.”

SOON
Jesus is coming back soon.  How long is that?  With God it is the blink of an eye.  With man it seems long.  When measuring in eternal measure Jesus is coming back soon.  Be ready for we do not know the day or the hour.  Jesus is coming back.

11/17          John 14:5
“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We haven’t any idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

ASK
Thomas was curious and courageous.  No one else was asking Jesus what He meant and they all wanted to know.  When you face a perplexing issue ask the Lord to solve the issue, fix the issue or give you the energy, wisdom and strength to deal with the issue.  Do not be afraid for the Father loves you.

11/18          John 14:6
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

ONE WAY
There is one and only one way to the family of God and that is through the man Jesus Christ.  He is Lord of life and death and will be with us from the first moment we believed unto eternity.  One way that we come into the family of God: Lord forgive me of my sin and come into my heart.  Thank you Lord for saving me.

11/19          John 14:7
If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is. From now on you know him and have seen him!”

GOD
We know God because we know Jesus.  Jesus is God and in Him all of the Godhead exists bodily.  We can know the Father because we have professed Jesus as Lord and believe that He has saved us.  Jesus is the only way to the Father.

11/20          John 14:8
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied.”

JESUS
They didn’t understand.  They were trying to understand but they didn’t believe in Jesus yet.  They would soon but now they are still thinking in worldly terms.  We have everything we need to eternal life and living life right now in Jesus Christ.

11/21          John 14:9-11
Jesus replied, “Philip, don’t you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see him?  Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.  Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of what you have seen me do.

OBEY
Jesus calls Philip to believe.  Note that obedience is the key to the relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We must believe Jesus if we are to obey Him.  Our society today thinks that they have the inside track on knowledge.  They do not.  Jesus is Lord.  He is Lord no matter our belief.

11/22          John 14:12-14
“The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.  You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!

ASK
Ask Jesus.  When trouble comes and you are faced with complex problems ask Jesus what you need to do.  Then when you know what should be done you will do it.  Obey the Lord, ask Him what you need to be His person right now.

11/23          John 14:15-17
“If you love me, obey my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

OBEDIENCE
The Lord wants us to obey Him.  The reason, because He knows what we will face today so He will equip us to face today’s challenge.  We know so little about wisdom and spirituality.  His call to us is simply to obey Him and He will lead us in the right path.

11/24          John 14:18-20
No, I will not abandon you as orphans — I will come to you.  In just a little while the world will not see me again, but you will. For I will live again, and you will, too.  When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

JESUS
Jesus is here with us.  He resides in us and knows the intimate details of everything we do.  He will not abandon us when we mess up.  He will look out for us when we get everything right.  Jesus is here and He is seeking our best good.  Do you believe that?  You should.

11/25          John 14:21
Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them.”

OBEY
Obey, do what the Lord says and things will go right for you.  Walk in obedience with the Lord.  Live in obedience to the Lord.  When you obey you are doing exactly what the Lord said for you do.  People count with Jesus.  Let’s make sure that we are focused on the task and obeying the Lord.

11/26          John 14:22-25
Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”  Jesus replied, “All those who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and live with them.  Anyone who doesn’t love me will not do what I say. And remember, my words are not my own. This message is from the Father who sent me.  I am telling you these things now while I am still with you.

OBEY
The children of God obey Him.  They do the things that the Lord points out as things that are basic to our faith:  Love the Lord with all of your heart, love one another, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and many more that we know to do.  If we don’t obey God then the Scripture says that we are not children of God.

11/27          John 14:26
But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative — and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit — he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.

EXCUSE?
There is no excuse for us.  We are charged with a responsibility for sharing the Gospel.  We are to live and take it to the world.  If we don’t do it we have failed to obey the Father.  When we are filled with Jesus we simply tell about our relationship with Him.

11/28          John 14:27
“I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

FEAR NOT
Do not fear.  Whatever you are facing is in the Lord’s hands.  He will protect you and is committed to you throughout eternity.  Nothing can take you out of His hands.  Do not fear for in Christ we can have confidence and peace of mind and heart.  Jesus loves you!

11/29          John 14:28-29
Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, because now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am.  I have told you these things before they happen so that you will believe when they do happen.

BELIEVE
Think about all the things we believe.  Believe in Jesus for He created all of those things and is in charge of all things.  He loves you and gave up His life for you.  Take time to get to know the Lord and He will walk with you through this life.

11/30          John 14:30-31
“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the prince of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going.

POWER
All things are under the power of the Lord.  There is nothing to great for Him to deal with.  Take your troubles and you joys to the Lord.  He will console and comfort you.  Jesus will never leave you alone nor ignore you.  He knows all about you and still He loves you.  Take heart for the Lord is near.

10/01          John 11:46-48
But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.  Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together to discuss the situation. “What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs.  If we leave him alone, the whole nation will follow him, and then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”

PRESERVATION
The leaders thought that they were preserving the nation.  They were no following God nor were they trying to do what God said to do.  They were listening to themselves and doing what they selfishly wanted to do.  Their words said one thing and their intent said something else.  They were the guardians and they had violated God.  WE must be careful how we think.  We need to make sure that the Lord is leading us when we purpose to do something.  We certainly want to follow Jesus in all we do and say.

10/02          John 11:49-50
And one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, “How can you be so stupid?  Why should the whole nation be destroyed? Let this one man die for the people.”

GOD
God is in control.  He had a plan.  These men followed His plan for the redemption of mankind.  It was required that Jesus sacrifice His life so that we might have life.  Christ is the Holy One of God who died for our sin.

10/03          John 11:51
This prophecy that Jesus should die for the entire nation came from Caiaphas in his position as high priest. He didn’t think of it himself; he was inspired to say it.

CONTROL
Jesus is in control.  Does your life feel out of control?  Give it to Jesus and let Him put you life in sync with the Lord.  This will change everything for you and will equip you to do anything the Lord has in mind for you to do.  It will also give you peace, joy and strength, three things money cannot buy.

10/04          John 11:52-53
It was a prediction that Jesus’ death would be not for Israel only, but for the gathering together of all the children of God scattered around the world.  So from that time on the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus’ death.

EVIL
Evil has a way of thinking it is in control.  All it does is destroy everything in its path.  These men thought they could control Jesus.  What they never realized is that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were bringing to all of mankind the way of salvation.  Come Lord Jesus.

10/05          John 11:54
As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples.

PROGRESS
Jesus knew what was going on and He had a plan.  The fullness of time would reveal His plan.  He knew the right time to begin His final journey to Jerusalem.  He also knows the right time to work in your life.  Talk with Him.  Let Him work on your heart.

10/06          John 11:55-56
It was now almost time for the celebration of Passover, and many people from the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the cleansing ceremony before the Passover began.  They wanted to see Jesus, and as they talked in the Temple, they asked each other, “What do you think? Will he come for the Passover?”

PEOPLE
People count with the Lord.  He died for us that we might have an eternal relationship with Him.  Relationships are important.  Be sure you spend time with Jesus and He will spend time with you.

10/07          John 11:57
Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly announced that anyone seeing Jesus must report him immediately so they could arrest him.

CULTURE
Our culture always seems to think it has ultimate say in what and how we do things.  We are transient creatures; and none of us knows when the Lord is coming back.  The call for us, each one of us, is to be ready today, now.

10/08          John 12:1-2
Six days before the Passover ceremonies began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus — the man he had raised from the dead. A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus sat at the table with him.

ALIVE
Lazarus was raised from the dead and now he is seated with Jesus at a meal.  We have been born again and we are alive in Christ.  We too can sit with Him and talk about anything that we need to talk about.  He will hear us and He will act.

10/09          John 12:3
Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with fragrance.

EXPENSIVE
Mary gave the best she had to Jesus.  It was a gift of the heart and devotion.  We need to see this in the appropriate setting-this was a significant gift and then elevated to huge by Mary wiping His feet with her hair.  Mary gave her all to serving Jesus.  It is a good picture for us to think about as we serve.  Our goal is joyous servant reviling in the blessed love of God.

10/10          John 12:4-8
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples — the one who would betray him — said, “That perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.”  Not that he cared for the poor — he was a thief who was in charge of the disciples’ funds, and he often took some for his own use.  Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial.  You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer.”

EVIL
Evil is so very destructive.  It kills everyone it touches.  It causes those under its control to destroy themselves.  Judas is evil, evil, evil without any redeeming qualities.  When we live in service to the Lord we are on the road to changing society.

10/11          John 12:9-11
When all the people heard of Jesus’ arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man Jesus had raised from the dead.  Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus.

DEATH
This was an amazing response by the Sanhedrin.  They truly believed that they could thwart God.  It is foolish for us to think that we can stop God.  God is good all the time.  We cannot change what the Lord purposes.  He knows the end from the beginning and is more than able to accomplish whatever He plans.  He gives us the opportunity to accept Him in our life.  It is our choice.  Once we choose Him nothing can separate us from Him.  Do not seek to derail the plans of God.    When we choose God we have peace, joy and a new relationship with Him.

10/12          John 12:12-13
The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A huge crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!”

EXCITEMENT
The people were excited.  It doesn’t mean that they were followers, they were just curious onlookers.  Maybe they would see a miracle.  But we don’t simply seek to see Jesus perform miracles for we are seeking to know Him.  We want to spend time with Him and let Him teach us the way we should go.

10/13          John 12:14-16
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:  “Don’t be afraid, people of Israel. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”  His disciples didn’t realize at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered that these Scriptures had come true before their eyes.

FORETOLD
Everything about the life of Jesus was foretold in the Old Testament.  His life was a constant fulfillment of prophecy.  So you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  Believe and He will save you.  Believe and He will give you life and light for living.

10/14          John 12:17-18
Those in the crowd who had seen Jesus call Lazarus back to life were telling others all about it.  That was the main reason so many went out to meet him — because they had heard about this mighty miracle.

WORKS
Jesus saw His works as ancillary to His main purpose.  He came to save the Lost.  He knew we were in trouble and He came to fix it.  He did.  His death on the Cross gave us a picture of God’s love for us.  We can see how much He loves us and how much He cares.  Jesus loves you.

10/15          John 12:19
Then the Pharisees said to each other, “We’ve lost. Look, the whole world has gone after him!”

EVIL
Evil has many faces.  It can even encourage someone to move against God.  These people were working against God.  No matter that the Lord could redeem the situation these people basically were not redeemed.  Focus on Jesus.  Let Him deal with your life and situation.  Only in Christ can we come to the Father.  Let’s be careful how we live and make sure that Jesus is the center of our life and not we ourselves.

10/16          John 12:20-21
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.”

JESUS
Jesus is Lord.  Do you want to meet Him?  Maybe you have met Him and have gotten weak in your relationship with Him.  Come to Jesus.  Do whatever it takes to let Him have control of your life.  Jesus is Lord.

10/17          John 12:22
Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.

SHARING
We should share Christ with those we know.  A question I always ask myself is who have I shared the Gospel with this week?  If we are filled with Jesus it will be second nature for us to share Him with the people we meet especially those that are friends.

10/18          John 12:23-24
Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory.  The truth is, a kernel of wheat must be planted in the soil. Unless it dies it will be alone — a single seed. But its death will produce many new kernels — a plentiful harvest of new lives.

SURRENDER
When I surrender myself to Christ I will change.  Change happens because Jesus is actively seeking my best good.  Sometimes change is painful.  Sometimes change challenges the very best in us.  Whatever happens I will not be the same.

10/19          John 12:25
Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

LIFE
What kind of life do you want?  Are you willing to trust the Lord and do as He says?  If you are He promises that we will live an abundant life.  Are you living an abundant life?  Check your relationship with Jesus.  He is the source and the goal of the Christian life.

10/20          John 12:26
All those who want to be my disciples must come and follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them.

OBEDIENCE
Do what the Lord says.  Live like we are called to live.  When we do that and continue to do that we are following the Lord.  Thinking about and acting out our actions in our minds and meaning to do it don’t get it.  A Christian life is a Christ like life.  If we are just planning to live like Jesus we haven’t hit the mark.  Obey the Lord.

10/21          John 12:27-28
Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from what lies ahead’? But that is the very reason why I came! Father, bring glory to your name.”  Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again.”

OBEDIENCE
Jesus lived to serve.  He served His Father obediently.  Not His will but God’s will was His focus.  Who are you serving?  Can you say not my will Lord but Your will?  Think about it.  What will it take for you to lead an obedient lifestyle?  Will you do it?

10/22          John 12:29-33
When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.  Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine.  The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out.  And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself.”  He said this to indicate how he was going to die.

DEATH
Jesus died so that we might live.  He sacrificed His life to pay the price for our life so that we might be part of God’s family.  Eternal life came at a price we couldn’t pay and Jesus gladly paid it.  Claim His gift of eternal life for you.

10/23          John 12:34
“Die?” asked the crowd. “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. Why are you saying the Son of Man will die? Who is this Son of Man you are talking about?”

SON OF MAN
They wanted an earthly king.  They didn’t understand what the Lord was doing.  Listen to Jesus.  He will explain to you what the Lord is calling you to do.  Be careful how you live and make sure that your life imitates the Lord.

10/24          John 12:35-36
Jesus replied, “My light will shine out for you just a little while longer. Walk in it while you can, so you will not stumble when the darkness falls. If you walk in the darkness, you cannot see where you are going.  Believe in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.

LIGHT
Jesus is our light.  He gives us light for life so that we will be able to do those things the Lord has called us to do and not be overrun by darkness.  This world is a tough, dark place and we will never move forward if we aren’t walking in the light that Jesus provides.  We can do nothing without the Christ.  In Him is life and light so that we might walk properly.

10/25          John 12:37-38
But despite all the miraculous signs he had done, most of the people did not believe in him.  This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: “Lord, who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?”

WORLD
The world ridicules those who believe in Jesus.  We are called foolish and nuts because we name the name of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  The world believes in money and power and refuses to kneel to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Be careful who you follow for the world is walking in darkness.

10/26          John 12:39-40
But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said, “The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts — so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.”

BELIEF
There is a point when people cannot believe.  It is because of their sin.  There is a path of life that leads people progressively further and further away from God.  Choose to walk the path that leads you to and with God.  Choose Jesus.  He is the way, the truth and life.

10/27          John 12:41-42
Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah’s glory.  Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in him. But they wouldn’t admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.

TESTIFY
When we are filled with Jesus we will tell others what He is doing in our life.  Focus your mind and heart on Jesus first then witness to others about His activity in your life.  Share Christ out of a full heart.

10/28          John 12:43
For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

LEADER
A leader that is following Jesus must maintain His focus on Christ.  We cannot succeed in our mission or our ministry if we don’t let Jesus control us.  I can do NOTHING without Christ is an absolute truism.  Let Jesus have your heart, your mind and your actions.  He will always lead you in the right way.

10/29          John 12:44-46
Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are really trusting God who sent me.  For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.  I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the darkness.

JESUS
Jesus is God’s everything.  We find in Jesus everything we need for life today, and forever.  When we spend time with Jesus we are spending time with the Lord for indeed Jesus is Lord.  He is the light and our light.  Fellowship with Jesus and you will know real life.

10/30          John 12:47-48
If anyone hears me and doesn’t obey me, I am not his judge — for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged at the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.

JESUS
Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  Without Jesus we are whistling in the dark not knowing our right from our left.  The world is dead in its trespasses and sin.  The world doesn’t know where it came from nor where it is going.  We are from God and we are going to return to God.  Jesus is the way of real life.  Reject Jesus and you are rejecting life.

10/31          John 12:49-50
I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me gave me his own instructions as to what I should say. And I know his instructions lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say!”

JESUS
Jesus tells us the things we need to live an abundant life.  He expects us to obey.  When we obey we walk in the light.  When we disobey we are wandering off into the darkness.  Jesus is God’s everything.  There is no other way to the Father.  Jesus is life.