Dear Heavenly Father,

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You today. Because of Jesus Christ and His work of redemption in me, I am deeply loved, completely forgiven, fully pleasing and totally accepted by You. Because of Jesus Christ in me, I am equipped and empowered to do all that You have called me to do. Now, LORD, help me act like it. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Verily, verily, I say unto you,

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)
Here lies the unfathomable hope that all Christians share alike: By the blood of Jesus Christ, we pass out of death and despair and into eternal life full of joy.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed [are] they which do hunger

Matthew 5:6
Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Reflection

Your hunger shall be filled. Your thirst shall be quenched. Ever shall the child of righteousness be sated for the Lamb is his food and his drink. Christ is the living manna and the living water. The Christian feasts upon His body, broken for us, and His blood, shed for our sake. So go, O believer, in the power of the cross! Go forth and proclaim His life to all the nations until He comes again, that they too might taste the fullness of righteousness!

Numbers 23:19 God [is] not a man

Numbers 23:19
God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Reflection

God is ever worthy of our trust. He is unchanging and uncompromising. His promises will always be kept and He shall always stand true to His word. Every promise shall find fulfilment in you who are Christ's workmanship. Rejoice therefore in Him and be filled!

Psalm 62:2-7 He only [is] my rock and my salvation;

Psalm 62:2-7
He only [is] my rock and my salvation; [he is] my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall [shall ye be, and as] a tottering fence. They only consult to cast [him] down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation [is] from him. He only [is] my rock and my salvation: [he is] my defence; I shall not be moved. In God [is] my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, [and] my refuge, [is] in God.
Reflection

Because of our incredible salvation in Christ, we can depend upon Him in times of turmoil and suffering. He alone is our refuge and strength as our soul silently waits in great expectation for His second coming.

Exodus 20:6 And shewing mercy

Exodus 20:6
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Reflection

God promises mercy to those who keep His holy commands, yet what man could ever see this promised mercy? Only one. Only One. Only Christ. And by His love for us, we too see God's mercy. Christ's infinitely valuable obedience bought mercy for all those who would seek it. Praise our Lord and Saviour for our bountiful access to His saving mercy!

John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions:

John 14:2-3
In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
Reflection

Right now, Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven! And someday He will come to take us to that place. How glorious will that day be when we behold with open face the beautiful majesty of our Lord!

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones,

1 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Reflection

O believers, take joy in the great honour bestowed upon you by the Lord Himself! Not only has He made you His son, pure and undefiled, but He has counted you worthy to be built together with your fellow saints and Christ Himself to be the very temple to house His Spirit. What a blessing it is to be the object of such a gift! Praise be to the Lord Almighty who has made us into living stones to take special and essential part in His sovereign plan!

Psalm 55:22 Cast thy burden

Psalm 55:22
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Reflection

Trust in the Lord, O son of righteousness, for He is worthy of your esteem. He is infinitely capable of caring for your needs and will always work even the most difficult of situations for benefit. Cast all your cares upon Him for He will be faithful to deliver you. Stand ever in your righteous hope in Christ and you shall not be moved.

Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace,

Ephesians 2:14
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];
Reflection

The unity in Christ is far beyond that which men might craft. It is promised that all Abraham's seed, both Jew and Gentiles alike, are truly of one body—a body of faith! Love your brothers in Christ. Leap to aid each other even as Christ Himself leapt to save you—at His own peril. This is the Gospel.

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love,

Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Reflection

Praise be to our ever-loving Father that He will always be faithful to chasten His children to correction. His discipline is of a caring love toward us—it is for our benefit, gracious and merciful. The Lord wants what is best for us and kindly prompts us to return to Him. Praise the Lord for His involvement.

2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me,

2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Reflection

God's grace is greater than our weakness. When we admit our weaknesses then more of Christ's strength can be manifested in us. We are used more when we are made less.

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice,

Matthew 5:12
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Reflection

Truly the child of faith should rejoice in His persecution for in it, he shall find union with Christ! O what beautiful, grim mystery that we, the church, should find our identity in the death of Christ—and by being found in His death we shall likewise be found in His resurrection! Rejoice! And live!

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God,

1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Reflection

Though ever vigilant, the child of God need fear no false teacher or doctrine—he need fear no antichrist—for the power and grace and love and work of God have freed the believer from all fear. If God is for us, who then may stand against us? Truly, we have been crafted much more than conquerors in the strength of Christ Jesus! Believer, take hold of your identity! Give no sway to the doctrine of the flesh! Stand firm against the passions of men! Rejoice in your holy calling and irrevocable birthright!

Then Peter said unto them,

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)
Gifted with the very Spirit of God are we who have repented our sins and believed upon the risen Lord of the universe. Promised by Christ before He ascended to the heavenlies, the Holy Spirit will lead us in the paths of righteousness. Heed the Word of the Lord and proceed in every good work until the Son of heaven returns for His holy bride!

I have told you all these things,

John 16
Amplified Bible (AMP)
16 I have told you all these things, so that you should not be offended (taken unawares and falter, or be caused to stumble and fall away). [I told you to keep you from being scandalized and repelled.]
2 They will put you out of (expel you from) the synagogues; but an hour is coming when whoever kills you will think and claim that he has offered service to God.
3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father or Me.
4 But I have told you these things now, so that when they occur you will remember that I told you of them. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.
5 But now I am going to Him Who sent Me, yet none of you asks Me, Where are You going?
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts [taken complete possession of them].
7 However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].
8 And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment:
9 About sin, because they do not believe in Me [trust in, rely on, and adhere to Me];
10 About righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God), because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no longer;
11 About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him.
12 I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now.
13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].
14 He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.
15 Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.

He restoreth my soul:

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalms 23:3-4)
The Lord leads us in the paths of righteousness and sometimes those paths lead through the valley of the shadow of death. Though it is hard to walk through these valleys, we can praise Him because He leads us into the valley of the shadow of death and not the valley of death itself. Take heart that even in these tremulous times, the Lord's hand is mighty. And truly, we need fear no evil!

REJOICE

Luke 10 :18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Isaiah 54:17
But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.

Eph.6
Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].
14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
15 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the [a]firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness [b]produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.
16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of [c]saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].
17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit [d]wields, which is the Word of God.
18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).
19 And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel),

And the LORD thy God

And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, [and] if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. (Deuteronomy 30:9-10)
As we devote our lives to serve God, He blesses the fruit of our labours with great delight and pleasure. Just as He rejoices to bless us, so also Christians should desire to serve Him. This unfathomable pleasure in serving is solely founded on the Word of God and living in accordance to it. When we follow His commands with all our heart, soul, and mind, God prospers our way over an abundance.

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith

Isaiah 43:1
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine.
Reflection

We are so precious to the Lord that He calls us His children. It is amazing to know that the Lord calls each one of us by name!