March 24

““But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33 NKJV)

From the beginning very few people had the Scriptures to read. Later the Scriptures would be taught and spread to more people. It wasn’t until the printing press did the Bible become available to many. But here God says He will “put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts”. The Holy Spirit would teach and guide us to a special relationship with God.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 23

““not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD.” (Jeremiah 31:32 NKJV)

We see the intimacy of God’s desired relationship with us as God takes His people by the hand and considers us His bride.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 22

““Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah — ” ( Jeremiah 31:31 NKJV)

The old Covenant, or Testament was given to God’s people by the faith of Abraham. The new Covenant or Testament would come through the Christ, the Lord Jesus!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 21

“After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.” (John 3:22 NKJV)

There are phrases that call us to see the connection with the verses around them.

After these things – calls for us to look back understanding the meaning and purpose of this verse.

Therefore – when the word therefore begins a verse look to see what the therefore is there for!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 20

““But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”” (John 3:21 NKJV)

To believe Jesus is the Truth as well as Light means we must do. We do not do to be saved but because we are saved!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 19

““For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” (John 3:20 NKJV)

We can easily confuse ourselves and not believe evil exists. The problem is we have to ignore much of the pain and suffering that is beyond neglect or lack of knowledge but is the result of evil. Enter into the Light and see evil and the Light which is more powerful than evil.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 18

““And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19 NKJV)

Coming from darkness into Light is very painful to our eyes and even more so to our lives. The Light can confuse us as everything is so different when exposed by the Light. DO NOT in fear run from the Light but be made whole by the Light.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

There is a story of very rich man who would go into debtors prison and pay off the debts of one person during each visit. He offered to pay off the debt of a man but the man refused saying he would pay off the debt himself. The man died in prison.

 

March 17

““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18 NKJV)

God condemning people seems unfair to some. Doesn’t God love us?

John makes us face the truth that God does not condemn us, we condemn ourselves! Our condemnation is we do not believe we need salvation through Jesus.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 16

““For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:17 NKJV)

Some believe John 3:16 cannot be truly understood without this verse. God’s love came not in condemnation but salvation which is true love!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 15

““For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 NKJV)

This is one of the best known verses in the Bible and has been memorized by many. It is interesting God loves the world which the root word is komizo which means to tend or take care of. The word used here is kosmos which does mean world but with a harmonious nature with a constitution and government.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 14

““that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:15 NKJV)

To believe in Jesus gives us not just life, but eternal life. The scripture reveals to us “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV) In Jesus we can come to the Father and receive all His blessings.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 13

““And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,” (John 3:14 NKJV)

After the people rebelled God sent serpents who killed those who were bitten unless they looked to the sign of a serpent on a pole. This sign is still used for physicians. If we will look to Jesus dying on the cross we too will be healed!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 12

“They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this.” (Psalm 22:31 NKJV)

From generation to generation the family of Shem passed on the hope of God. Through Jesus that message would continue to “a people who will be born”.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 11

“A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation,” (Psalm 22:30 NKJV)

As a Jew and a first son Jesus would be expected to have children to pass along the family lineage. Jesus would not have physical children but His posterity would be the billions who would call Jesus their God!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 10

“All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive.” (Psalm 22:29 NKJV)

Prosperity is not a doctrine or a teaching but a gift from God to those who trust in Him. The psalmist declares those who seek to save themselves shall still “bow before Him”. Those who cannot worship God will still bow!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 9

“For the kingdom is the LORD’S, And He rules over the nations.” (Psalm 22:28 NKJV)

Jesus came declaring the Kingdom of God is at hand, indeed has come! THE Kingdom is God’s and each nation, no matter how evil, is ruled by God. Some will ask if God rules over their nation why does He allow evil to be in command? Maybe it is because we who are not evil do not stand against the evil?

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 8

“All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You.” (Psalms 22:27 NKJV)

God calls nations to remember and turn to Him. Jesus came so all families could and would worship before God. Redemption is remembering we are fallen and a desire to return to God who made us and loves us.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 7

“The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever!” (Psalm 22:26 NKJV)

Many times in the Bible God offers blessings on the poor and warns of a harsh judgment on those who abuse the poor. What does poor mean? In some verses poor means those who do not have enough, but in others it means “poor in spirit”. To be poor in spirit is to humbly recognize our desperate need for God.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 5

“My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.” (Psalm 22:25 NKJV)

This passage can be easily seen in the life of Jesus. Before the synagogue, temple and the Sanhedrin Jesus praised the Father. Jesus honored and obeyed the Father even unto death.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 4

“For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard.” (Psalm 22:24 NKJV)

“God does not understand!” In times of distress it is easy to have our faith shaken and wonder if God is really there. Psalm 22 is an early picture of Jesus and His suffering for us. Jesus does not despise or abhorre those who are afflicted. Jesus not only did not hide from them but “He heard.”

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 3

“You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!” (Psalm 22:23 NKJV)

Some say the word fear is really honor or glory but the word used for fear is yare’ (yah-ray) which means terrible, reverence, fear, something terrible and dreadful. God is so great and glorious we cannot understand how to praise God without fearing Who God is.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 2

““But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:15 NKJV)

Okay, three times forgiveness is part of this prayer. As a Trinity when God states something three times listen carefully! Once again we are warned we must pass on our forgiveness as we have been forgiven.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

March 1

““For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14 NKJV)

Do you sense God thinks we have a problem with forgiving? Directly God reminds us if we want forgiveness we must offer forgiveness.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

The news is so bad and many think this is a bad time. History tells us this is just a hiccup in the pain and suffering throughout time. We in America think things are bad when this is a good time compared to the suffering in the world. God, give us eyes to see and ears to hear their pain and suffering! To hear their cries for help!

2/15/2021

 

February 28

“And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13 NKJV)

Here we understand the two worst enemies we struggle against, ourselves and satan (the evil one). By faith let us trust for help from God who “is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

February 27

“And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12 NKJV)

This is a hard line to pray for because we are asking God to forgive us as much as we forgive others. Forgiving is as much for ourselves as it is for others. If we do not forgive we will end up hating the person and destroying ourselves when the person we hate probably isn’t even aware.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

February 26

“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11 NKJV)

We do not demand but humbly ask God for our daily bread. Notice Jesus tells us we must daily ask for our daily bread. We must understand no matter how many ways we have to preserve food our “daily bread” is still a gift from God who provides for our needs.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

February 25

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10 NKJV)

In many ways this is the heart of all prayer. God will not give us what we think is an egg when it really is a serpent. In faith we must accept God’s will is the only and best way for us and those we pray for!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

 February 24

““In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” (Matthew 6:9 NKJV)

We may think there is something magic about saying the Lord’s Prayer but notice Jesus says to pray “In this manner”. We must begin prayer by acknowledging God is God and we are not! But we can take comfort we are talking to our Heavenly Father who loves us!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

February 23

““Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8 NKJV)

Have you ever thought about what this means? Long before you realize a need God already knows and is preparing to meet each need in a way that blesses before you even realize it.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

February 22

““And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7 NKJV)

Prayer is not repetition but communication. More important than using the correct words, forms or rituals is our desire to listen to God in humility and faith. The Lord’s Prayer is not made powerful by repetition but by using it as a guide to our communicating with God.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

February 21

““But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Mt 6:6 NKJV)

Prayer must happen in a place but not just any place will do. We must go to a “secret” place where we can quietly meet with God in our secret place. There we will join with God in communication and not reading a list.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

February 20

““And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” (Matthew 6:5 NKJV)

In this verse there is an assumption we will pray. First Jesus teaches us how not to pray. Notice once again the word hypocrite is used for those who do something for their own glory rather than for God’s glory.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

February 19

““that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:4 NKJV)

How do we give? We should give quietly being more concerned what God thinks than people do. If we understand giving we must first admit everything we have is a gift from God. A tithe (10%) is the usual amount required but we can give more out of our abundance. Do not just give to pay off what you think you owe but give in joy of the glorious God who blesses you!

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.

 

February 18

““But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” (Matthew 6:3 NKJV)

Jesus reminds us giving can be a deed as well as giving money. When we give we must give for the glory of God and even in our soul to not claim any credit or glory. The King James Version (KJV) uses the word charity for love so love must be lived out and shared to be true.

Your prayer

Give God thanks for what you have.

Praise God for who He is.

Ask for God to use you today.