​4-30-21
Today’s devotion is based on1 John 3:1, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!”
But the Bible doesn’t say that he always gives us whatever we want, that he makes life easy for his children, or that he always makes them feel happy and loved.” God the Father’s love for us is most clearly shown in his calling us children of God. When we were born into this world, we were born to live for ourselves, ignore God, and operate by our own rules. When we live that way, we can be called children of the devil.
But God loved us so much that he couldn’t wait to rescue us from that family and adopt us into his family. And so he sent his own Son to be the perfect child in our place, to be absolutely obedient, not to demand proof of God’s love, but to give proof of God’s love by his life. He did that so that we might be called children of God and brothers and sisters of Christ himself. As God’s children, we have a place in his family and a home with him forever. Now that’s love!
Please join me in praying the prayer for today: Jesus, it seems impossible that you should live in me sinner that I am.  I am in constant need of repentance and forgiveness, yet your Word tells me it is so. Use me as you can to do the work that shows the fruit of the faith you gave me. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.

4-28-21
Today's devotion is based on John 15:3, where we hear Jesus say, "Apart from Me, you can do nothing."

Many people think that being a Christian means having certain opinions about God and following Christian principles. But here, Jesus is teaching that it is not having certain beliefs and behaviors that make us Christian. You can only be a Christian by having such an intimate relationship with him that his life becomes ours. This means that we depend on Jesus for our life, for he is our lifeblood. His love allows us to act to love which is shown in our actions toward him and others. That is why Saint Paul, in his letter to the Corinthian congregations, wrote, "It is no longer I who live; but Christ who lives in me."

Please join me in praying the prayer for today: Jesus, it seems impossible that you should live in me sinner that I am. I am in constant need of repentance and forgiveness, yet your Word tells me it is so. Use me as you can to do the work that shows the fruit of the faith you gave me. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.
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​4-27-21
Today's devotion is based on John 14:22-24: "Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?"  Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me."
Jesus said a condition had to be met before he and the Father could reveal themselves to a person; a person must love him and keep his word. Keeping his word is not the same as keeping his Commandments. We must listen to it, think about it, and let it sink into the essence of our very being, for it is a power that breaks down the barrier between unbelief and belief.  It gives us life, gives new birth, heals our wounds, and carries us through all difficulties.  
Please join me in praying the prayer for today: You promised the disciples you would not leave them alone. You kept that promise by revealing yourself to them. They, in turn, have, through their writings, reveal your presence to me. Please help me to live my life in such a way that everything I do gives you glory, for you are indeed my Savior. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.

​4-26-21
Since yesterday was Good Shepherd Sunday, today's devotion is based on John 10:11, where we hear Jesus saying, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep."
I love the image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, tenderly caring for his sheep and lambs. The sheep and lambs represent us, of course. The image inspires us to trust in Jesus' protection, guidance, and provision. It is of special comfort to Christians who are 'walking through the valley of the shadow of death, such as soldiers and civilians in wartime, people during a pandemic, people nearing the end of their lives, and people mourning the death of loved ones.
As I was writing this, I remembered an old song that expresses living under the Good Shepherd's care, "I am Jesus' little lamb.
I am Jesus' little lamb
Ever glad at heart I am.
For my shepherd gently guides me,
Knows my need and well provides me,
Loves me every day the same,
Even calls me by my name.
Please join me in praying the prayer for today: Dear Lord, thank you for choosing me to be one of your sheep. Help me to recognize 'sheep' who are ready to be invited into your flock or back into it again. Help me to live in ways that make joining your flock seem to them like the obvious and right thing to do. Help me to look after our fellow sheep so that they will grow strong and remain in your care. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.

​4-25-21
Today's devotion is based on John 16:16 where we hear Jesus speaking to his disciples the day before he was crucified, "A little while, and you will see me no longer, and again a little while, and you will see me."
First and foremost, he was speaking of his death and resurrection. They felt great sadness and fear during his time in the grave.  They knew great happiness and peace when he rose from the grave and appeared to them. 
Secondly, Jesus was speaking of his ascension to the Father and his coming back on Judgement day. It might seem strange, maybe even hard to believe, to hear his words, "A little while," for it has been 2000 years since Jesus physically left this earth, but the promise to return still holds.
It is a common and disastrous mistake to think that Jesus' return is a long way off, that we have plenty of time to get ourselves right with God. Time goes very slowly for us, who are bound to earthly time, especially when we suffer. The good thing is that his promise to return still holds true.  We don't see him physically now, but we will see him physically in the future.    
Please pray with me the prayer for today: Lord, you know how long time stretches when we are in distress. You know how long and lonely a sleepless night is for us. We thank you that you have given us the certainty of seeing you in eternity through our eyes of faith.  You remain the same and your years have no end.  In your holy name, I pray. Amen.

​4-24-21
Today's devotion is based on John 12:36, "While you have the light, (Jesus) believe in the light."
Those who believe will see God's glory. Those who believe will not die, that is, spiritually die, but share in Christ and His resurrection.  Those who believe receive the forgiveness of sins and will not be condemned.  That is how vital believing in the light is to our existence. 
God wants all people to believe in the light. Yet, we know some do not believe in the light.  People are drawn to the light, or the light hardens their hearts. It does not sound right, but it is true.  There are many examples in the Bible where the word of God hardened someone's heart, Pharoh being the best example.  That is why there is so much significance in the warning to stay in the light of Jesus. 
Please pray with me the prayer for today: O Lord, my God, I called to you for help, and you answered me. I thank you for the love you have shown me in Jesus Christ, my Savior. Through him, you have rescued me from the guilt of my sin and given me the peace of forgiveness. Help me fight against temptation, correct whatever wrongs I can, and serve you and those around me with love and good works. In Jesus' holy name, I pray. Amen.

​4-23-21
Since we are still celebrating our Savior rising from the dead, I have chosen John 11:40, where we hear Jesus tell Martha when she objected to the stone sealing the grave of Lazarus, Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God.”
After Jesus called Lazarus to come out, she and everyone else that was there that day saw the glory of God.  We, who believe, will have to wait to see God’s glory. Our sight of God’s glory will be more spectacular than bringing Lazarus back to life, for he will die again.  Our sight of God’s glory will be at the time of the Resurrection, for in the Resurrection, we, who believe, will begin a new life in the glory of God as we live in the new creation, never to die. 
Please pray with me the prayer for today: God, O my God, my creator, my sustainer, my Savior I know that because of Jesus’ resurrection, I too will be resurrected to a new life of seeing the glory of God.   In Jesus’ holy name, we pray. Amen 

​4-22-21
We are now in the 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and his ascension. During this time, we meditate on what the resurrection means for us and how he continues his work even today.
Today’s devotion is based on Jesus’ words to Martha as he first met her after Lazarus died.  They are recorded for us in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Like other devout Jews, Martha believed in the resurrection on the Last Day when the Messiah would come and hold court, and then the dead would receive life again.  The problem was that that belief, as many Christians today believe, was that eternal life only comes after one’s death.
Our resurrection is connected to Jesus and his resurrection. We will be resurrected after death because Jesus has been resurrected after his death. For those who possess Jesus, that is trust that he is the reason they will be resurrected, speaking in biblical terms, never die.  Eternal life is ours now.
Please pray with me the prayer for today:  Please help me always to remember that you are the resurrection and the life.  With you, our earthly death is only a time of sleep as we wait for your joyous awakening to a new day.  In your holy name, I pray.  Amen 

​4-21-21
We are now in the 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and his ascension. During this time, we meditate on what the resurrection means for us and how he continues his work even today.
Today’s devotion is based on Jesus’ words, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep.”
Lazarus has died.  Yet Jesus refers to his as only being asleep.  That is the strangest thing to call death, yet in Jesus’ words, he is speaking a truth, for there will be a time when all who have died will rise again to eternal life.  Those who believe in Jesus as their Savior will live with God for all eternity. In contrast, those who did not will live eternally separated from God, knowing that they rejected the one who came to make peace between them and God.
Please pray with me the prayer for today:  Thank you, O Lord, for giving me my life. Thank you for sustaining my life during my time on earth.  Thank you for your promise that my earthly death is only a time of sleep. For on that day when you come back to call the dead to life, I will wake from my sleep into your presence.  Please help me to live this day in your grace.  In your holy name, I pray.  Amen 

​4-20-21
We are now in the 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and his ascension. During this time, we meditate on what the resurrection means for us and how he continues his work even today.
Today’s devotion is based on Jesus’ words as they are recorded for us in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.”
It may seem confusing that Jesus also speaks of himself being the Good Shepherd. Calling himself the Good Shepherd allows us to have a better understanding of who Jesus is.  What the Father does, the Son also does.  Everything the Father is the Son is also.  The Father and Son are one.  If God were human, this description of God would be total nonsense. No human can be one person and three persons.
This is not true of God.  He is eternally the one and only God who appears to us as the Son and Holy Spirit.  That is how he speaks, that is how he works, and that is how he enters into a relationship with us.  In Jesus, we get to see the Father, for the Father and Jesus are one.
Please pray with me the prayer for today:  I thank you this morning that you came to us as the Good Shepherd. Thank you for revealing the love of God the Father to us through your life and death.  Thank you for clothing us with your robes of righteousness so that we on Judgment Day will be declared innocent.  Please help me to live this day in your grace.  In your holy name, I pray.  Amen