May 1, 2021 (Saturday)
God’s Work
“Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”
– John 14:11-14
Memory Verse: “The one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these.” (John 14:12)
Jesus did not do God’s work with his own power. He did it with the help of God. Jesus wants us to do the same. Let us do God’s work with the help of God. Let us believe in God’s power. Jesus said that we would do greater works than what he did. Jesus put a very high value on what we can do. That is the power of belief. When we trust in God and do God’s work with the help of God, we can do amazing things. We will experience the wonderful things in life.
Lord, help me. I trust you. Amen.
May 2, 2021 (Sunday)
Abide In Christ
“‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.”
– John 15:1-4
Memory Verse: “Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4)
When we abide in Christ, God gets rid of things that are unnecessary and strengthens things that we need. That is how God prunes us. God cuts away things that eat us up such as pride, greed, anger, and anxiety and strengthens things that help us bear fruit such as faith, hope, passion, love, and patience.
Lord, please cut away things that are unnecessary and strengthen things that I need. Amen.
May 3, 2021 (Monday)
Being Chosen
“You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.”
– John 15:16
Memory Verse: “You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.” (John 15:16)
Knowing that we are chosen is a great discovery. It is purely God’s grace that he chose us. We don’t know particularly why we are chosen. We are just thankful. Jesus said that those who are chosen will go and bear fruit. The fruit is not for ourselves but for those who need it. Let us pray that our life may be fruitful. God will give us whatever we ask.
Lord, thank you for choosing me. Help me to live a fruitful life. Amen.
May 4, 2021 (Tuesday)
Peace
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
– John 14:27
Memory Verse: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Jesus gave us peace. Worries and fear are not in our control. It is not possible to get rid of them by our effort or our will. When we abide in Christ, he will give us peace. When this peace fills our heart, the power of worries and fear subside and we will be free from them.
Lord, I want to abide in you. Please fill my heart with peace. Amen.
May 5, 2021 (Wednesday)
Purity
“Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation.”
– 1 Peter 2:1-2
Memory Verse: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk.” (1 Peter 2:2)
Purity is what God wants from us. God sees our pure desire to drink the spiritual milk. God will fill our hunger and quench our thirst. From the purity, we get power and focus. We will be able to see God in our lives.
Lord, I desire you and you alone. Amen.
May 6, 2021 (Thursday)
Freedom
“As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.”
– 1 Peter 2:16
Memory Verse: “As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil.” (1 Peter 2:16)
When freedom is connected with evil, it will bring corruption. When freedom is connected with the truth, it will bring joy. We can find joy in everything we do. We will find joy in a life of serving. Let us not use freedom as a pretext for evil but use it to live as a servant of God.
Lord, thank you for the freedom. Amen.
May 7, 2021 (Friday)
Tongue
“For ‘Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
– 1 Peter 3:10-12
Memory Verse: “For those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit.” (1 Peter 3:10)
Let us be careful with our tongues. What comes out of our mouth can cause a lot of problems and difficulties. If we desire life and desire to see good days, we should keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit. Let us be aware of what we are going to say before the words leave our lips. Let us be careful, especially when we are emotional.
Lord, please give me wisdom and power to discipline my tongue. Amen.
May 8, 2021 (Saturday)
Clear Conscience
“Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.”
– 1 Peter 3:13-16
Memory Verse: “Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.” (1 Peter 3:16)
Live with a clear conscience. We will become bold. When we do what is good with a clear conscience, our suffering will bring God’s blessings. When we do what is good with a clear conscience, nothing will be able to stop us. God will keep us. God sees our conscience and values it.
Lord, thank you for always being with me and keeping me strong. Amen.
May 9, 2021 (Sunday)
Mother
“‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
– John 15:12-14
Memory Verse: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends, Jesus said. That is exactly what our mothers did for us. That’s why their love is great. Their love has made us who we are. Let us not forget their love for us. Let us keep it deep in our heart and practice that love for others.
Lord, thank you for the love you have shown through my mother. Amen.
May 10, 2021 (Monday)
Be Merciful
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
– Luke 6:32-36
Memory Verse: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)
We cannot react in every situation. There will always be people who make you upset and frustrated. There will always be people who don’t like us and criticize us for no good reason. Let us not be influenced by them. Let us not harbor hatred and anger within us because of them. Let us always keep God’s mercy within our hearts. God will give us wisdom to deal with every situation we face.
Lord, help me always remember your mercy and keep it in my heart. Amen.
May 11, 2021 (Tuesday)
Be Considerate
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
– Luke 6:37-38
Memory Verse: “For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” (Luke 6:38)
Our life will be shaped by how we treat others. If we judge others, we will be judged. If we forgive others, we will be forgiven. If we are generous to others, we will experience abundance of life. Let us be kind to others. Let us always be considerate of others. We will experience the goodness of God.
Lord, help me to be considerate of others. Amen.
May 12, 2021 (Wednesday)
Be Examples
“Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it—not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away.”
– 1 Peter 5:1-4
Memory Verse: “Be examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:3)
The best leadership is by example. This does not mean to try to impress others. Be an example to yourself. Live out what you believe. Give everything you have for what you believe. You will inspire others whether you are aware of it or not.
Lord, Jesus, help me to have your character formed within me. Amen.
May 13, 2021 (Thursday)
Be Enlightened
“I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.”
– Ephesians 1:16-19
Memory Verse: “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him.” (Ephesians 1:17)
Unless God opens our eyes, we cannot see what we need to see. When our eyes are enlightened, we can see the hope of life, the abundance of God’s blessings, and the power that overcomes our troubles. Let us pray that God may give us a spirit of wisdom and revelations so that the eyes of our heart may enlightened.
Lord, open my eyes so that I may see. Amen.
May 14, 2021 (Friday)
A Good Tree
“You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.”
– Matthew 7:16-20
Memory Verse: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.” (Matthew 7:18)
A tree and fruit cannot be separated. They are one and the same. Good fruit comes from a good tree and not vice versa. Don’t focus on bearing good fruit. Focus on being a good tree. Let us cultivate genuine love within us, we will be able to see the beautiful fruit of love in our lives.
Lord, fill me with your love. Amen.
May 15, 2021 (Saturday)
Prayer
“On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”
– John 16:23-24
Memory Verse: “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.” (John 16:24)
Let us pray and then leave everything in God’s hands. We will be able to see how God works in our lives. God will answer our prayer in a way we could never imagine. God expands our heart and deepens our understanding about life. This will give us joy that the world cannot give.
Lord, thank you for answering my prayer. Amen.
May 16, 2021 (Sunday)
Be Sanctified
“I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.”
– John 17:15-19
Memory Verse: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
We are in the world but we do not belong to the world. Don’t let the world mould you, shape you, and change you. Be sanctified by the truth. When we are sanctified by the truth, we will have the power to resist our tendency to conform to the world. Let the truth transform you.
Lord, help me not to be conformed to the world but be transformed by your truth. Amen.
May 17, 2021 (Monday)
Take Courage
“I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”
– John 16:33
Memory Verse: “In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:33)
Problems come to us from many directions. They intimidate us and make us paralyzed. They cloud our judgment. Let us take courage. Peace will come. In our peaceful state of mind, we will be able to see what to do.
Lord, please give me your peace. Amen.
May 18, 2021 (Tuesday)
Our Burdens
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.”
– Psalm 68:19
Memory Verse: “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” (Psalm 68:19)
God daily bears our burdens. If we have heavy burdens, let us lay them down before God daily. That is what God wants from us. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” What are our burdens that oppress us? Let us leave them in God’s hands. God will lighten our burdens.
Lord, I lay down my burdens before you. Amen.
May 19, 2021 (Wednesday)
Generosity
“In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
– Acts 20:35
Memory Verse: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” We should always remember this principle in our life. Generosity is a quality that is hard to come by, but once we have it, it is like having a key to God’s blessings. Life of giving is the best kind of life. That is what discipleship is all about.
Lord, help me live my life generously. Amen.
May 20, 2021 (Thursday)
Unity
“As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
– John 17:21-23
Memory Verse: “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one.” (John 17:22)
Jesus’ last prayer before he died was for the humanity to be one. We should always remember Jesus’ last wish. We Christians should always strive for unity. Unity is not uniformity. Uniformity is for the powerful to absorb the powerless. Unity is possible when the powerful let go of their pride and greed and empower the powerless.
Lord, may the leaders of this world respect the importance of unity. Amen.
May 21, 2021 (Friday)
Praise
“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
– Psalm 103:1-5
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits—
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Memory Verse: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” (Psalm 103:1)
We praise God neither with our mouth nor in our thoughts. All that is within us praise God and that is true praise. When all that is within us praise God, everything that is within us will come alive. The part that is sick will be healed. The part that is parched will be satisfied. That is when we become new. Our praise renews us.
Lord, all that is within me praise you. Amen.
May 22, 2021 (Saturday)
Being Thirsty
“On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
– John 7:37-39
Memory Verse: “As the scripture has said, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
Being thirsty is a condition of our heart. When we sincerely seek God, we become thirsty. It is a strong desire to experience God, feel God, and know God. When we come to Jesus with this thirst, Jesus will give us the Spirit who will quench our thirst. Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.
Lord, with thirst, I come to you. Grant me your Spirit. Amen.
May 23, 2021 (Sunday)
Live with the Spirit
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
– Romans 8:26-27
Memory Verse: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” (Romans 8:26)
The Spirit helps us in our weakness. The Spirit is with us. We are not alone. Even when we cannot pray, the Spirit prays for us. Even when we cannot search for God, God searches for us. Let us live our life with the Spirit. We will see amazing things in life.
O Spirit, come, fill me, and stay with me. Amen.
May 24, 2021 (Monday)
Deceitfulness
“Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
– Psalm 32:1-5
whose sin is covered.
Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
While I kept silence, my body wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’,
and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
Memory Verse: “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1)
Sin is covering our wrongdoings. Happy are those in whose spirit, there is no deceit. Deceitfulness keeps us in the dark. Let us come to the Lord and confess our sins. God will cover our sins. When we cover our own sins, we will live in guilt. When God covers our sins, we will experience forgiveness.
Lord, I come to you as I am without deceit. Please cover my sins with your loving grace. Amen.
May 25, 2021 (Tuesday)
Come to God
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
– James 4:8-10
Memory Verse: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)
The more desire we have to come to God, the more intimately God will come to us. If we seek God, we will find him. When we meet God, we will be able to see who we really are. We will see our own hypocrisy. Empty joy that comes from our own blindness will turn into mourning for perceiving our own shortcomings. We will become humble but God will exalt us, take away our mourning, and give us true joy.
Lord, I open my heart and humbly come before you. Please come into my heart and uplift my soul. Amen.
May 26, 2021 (Wednesday)
Fearlessness
“Truly the thing that I fear comes upon me,
– Job 3:25-26
and what I dread befalls me.
I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest; but trouble comes.”
Memory Verse: “Truly the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.” (Job 3:25)
“Truly the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.” This is what Job said after all the tragedies he experienced. We can see that Job lived with fear before he experienced tragedies. He tried his best to be righteous but he had fear. Our suffering forces us to confront fear within us. We can overcome this fear only through God’s grace. Now he became a fearless man. It does not mean that he has no fear but means that he can confront his own fear.
Lord, help me confront my own fear with courage. Amen.
May 27, 2021 (Thursday)
God’s Voice in the Morning
“Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
– Psalm 143:8
for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.”
Memory Verse: “Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 143:8)
Every morning let us hear God’s steadfast love. God will show us the way we should go. When we pay attention to God, we will be able to hear God and he will show us the way. Empty your thoughts, calm down your emotions, and simply wait. God will speak to our heart. Trust in God.
Lord, I will hear your voice every morning. Amen.
May 28, 2021 (Friday)
A Positive Attitude Towards Life
“Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
– Mark 11:23, 24
Memory Verse: “So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)
Prayer gives us a positive attitude towards life. What you pray will be answered. What you envision will be fulfilled. What you desire will be granted. Let us pray, envision, and desire what is good for the whole humanity. In that way, God’s will shall be done.
Lord, may your desire be my desire. Amen.
May 29, 2021 (Saturday)
The Prayer of Faith
“Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.”
– James 5:13-16
Memory Verse: “The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.” (James 5:15)
The prayer of faith is powerful. It will heal us and forgive us. Do not let anything discourage you and throw you in despair. Don’t let your sickness scare you and make you feel anxious. Pray with faith and wait with confidence. God will lift us up from our own abyss.
Lord, please listen to my prayer. Amen.
May 30, 2021 (Sunday)
Not Shaken
“Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendour. May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!”
– Psalm 29:1-2, 11
Memory Verse: “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” (Psalm 29:11)
God gives us strength and peace. Strength that comes from peace is not shaky. Our life will be stable when we have that kind of strength. It is the kind of strength that holds us up in storm. Let us thank God and let us worship God with all our heart. We will not be shaken.
Lord, please accept my worship. Amen.
May 31, 2021 (Monday)
Genuine Love
“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”
– Romans 12:9-13
Memory Verse: “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good.” (Roman 12:9)
Genuine love is hard to come by. It is one of the keys to a happy life and yet people don’t seek it. People pursue power, thinking that it is the only way to survive. We live in deception because of our fear. Fear seeks power but love casts out fear. Love makes all of us survive together. It brings peace, harmony, and happiness.
Lord, please fill me with your love. Amen.
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