Faith: Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

God’s abundant goodness, His miraculous works, and the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, for our salvation give us the confidence to put our trust in Him. We trust God’s Word with faith, we believe in His promises, and we are confident of His love. Faith is a process of growth, following, and relying on God. Faith changes us; it changes our hearts and thoughts; it gives us hope and a future. When we embrace faith, we become confident of the future and have assurance about what we do not see.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible. Corrie Ten Boom

Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right. Max Lucado

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. Corrie ten Boom

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
Matthew 17:20 (NLT)

What is faith to you?

Prayer: Our Lord, our Heavenly Father, help us to grow in hope, trust, and faith. Teach us not to be afraid of an unknown future, but to trust in You. Lord, help us grow in faith, rely on You, and know anything is possible with You. Like the simple, natural beauty of the white orchid blossoms, let us simply and naturally grow in faith and assurance. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Good Soil: Luke 8:15

The seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Luke 8:15 (NIV)

How do we become noble, have a good heart, and become good soil? By reading God’s Word (the bible), keeping His Word, and obeying His Word. In Luke 8, Jesus is explaining what kind of soil we need to become to produce a good crop, much fruit. People with noble, honest, and good intentions hear God’s Word cling to it are good soil. The power, strength, compassion, and love of God flow through those who hear His Word retain it, with perseverance maintain it, and produce a fruitful crop.

Is your spiritual soil rocky, thorny, hard, impenetrable soil, or good soil?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, teach us to read, maintain, and follow Your Word. Lead us and teach us to have a noble and good heart. Help us to become good soil, and to produce much fruit. Like the lady slipper wildflower needs soil with a special fungus to grow, we need to follow God’s Word and have a good heart to produce good soil and grow spiritual fruit. Show us Your way. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Power of God: Ephesians 3:20-21

²⁰Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us; ²¹glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21 (CEB)

This scripture is a portion of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, a prayer to increase their faith in the power of the Lord. We achieve the power of God when we let the Holy Spirit work in us, giving us strength, and power to accomplish things beyond our comprehension. Glory to God is when we honor Him in our thoughts and actions when we strive to serve and bring joy to our heavenly Father. Paul closes by praying that all future generations will experience the power, glory, and hope found in Christ Jesus.

Are you limiting your expectations to what you perceive you can do or are you letting the power of God work through you?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we praise and glorify your name. Strengthen us and guide us to accomplish things beyond our comprehension through Your power and strength. Like the fuchsia plant is clothed in open, bright, and bold flowers teach us to be open, shine brightly, and boldly rely on Your power God. In Christ Jesus’ holy name, we pray. Amen.

Praise the Lord: Psalm 150: 5-6

5Praise him with resounding cymbals; praise him with clashing cymbals. 6Let everything that breathes praise the LORD. Hallelujah!
Psalm 150:6 CEB

In the early spring mornings, my backyard is a natural symphony filled with birds in song. It is an uplifting start to my day. How so must the Lord feel when we awake to praise and worship Him. When we start the day with praise, adoration, and glory to God, it opens our hearts to our many blessings. No, we don’t need cymbals or even perfect songs, just love and adoration for Our Father, the Creator of earth. Hallelujah, praise the Lord! He is good!

How will you praise the Lord today, with prayer, song, glowing words, or with cymbals? Or perhaps all the above.

Prayer: Our holy, and loving Father, we thank you for your love, grace, and blessings. We adore You and praise You. You are our hope and our joy. As the bell-like campanula flowers seem to ring in a symphony of blooms, let our voices rise in a symphony of praise for You our threefold God. In Jesus’ holy name. Hallelujah! Amen.

Pure in Heart: Matthew 5:8

⁸“Blessed [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God.
Matthew 5:8 (AMP)

The heart is considered a symbol of love, but often the heart values may be corrupt. Jesus said that about the Pharisees, they projected outward purity, but their hearts and thoughts were not pure. To be pure in heart, we need to obey the Lord’s rules, to follow His will, and to live a life pleasing to God. Then we will see Him and be with Him in eternity.

Are you pure in heart, or is your heart focused instead on earthly material objects?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, forgive us for our hearts are often not pure, and our values and motives not godly. We ask you to help us to focus on living a life that is pleasing to You. Lord teach us to be pure in heart. Like the bleeding heart flowers open and expand as they bloom, teach us to open our hearts to You and expand in love toward one another. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Shield of Love: Psalm 5:12

For you bless the godly, O LORD; you surround them with your shield of love.
Psalm 5:12 (NLT)

To be considered godly, we need to be focused on God, to live a God-centered lifestyle, and to adore God. Godliness is something that we need to pursue, to work at. No special talent is needed for God supplies all we need. When we embrace a godly life, we go forward in security and peace, knowing God is with us. God blesses the godly surrounding them with His shield of love.

God’s shield of love is available to everyone. How could you be more focused on living a God-centered life?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for your grace and forgiveness of us. Teach us to live a more godly life. Like the redbud tree blossoms are gathered together and glow reflecting sunlight, let us gather together in praise and glow with Your light. We thank you for blessing us and surrounding us with your shield of love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

Be Strong: Joshua 1:9

⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

The Lord our God, is with us wherever we go. He is with us, He loves us, and He forgives our sins, we just have to ask. The Lord reminded Joshua to be strong and courageous, not to fear for God was with him. God is with us also. Our Heavenly Father is faithful to His promises. We need to be strong in the Spirit, to have faith, and to trust in the Lord. Faith enables us to feel secure to be strong for we know that we are not alone for God is with us always.

When you are dismayed, and trembling with fears, struggling to be strong, where do you turn for strength? God is patiently waiting to hear from you.

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for surrounding us with Your love, and for being with us always. Dear Lord, we know that we are weak, but you are strong. Like the impressive display of gathered flowers on the doublefile viburnum branch, teach us to display our faith and find our strength in You. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Be Still: Psalm 37:7

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
Psalm 37:7 (ESV)

To be still in the Lord, to rest in Him, trusting His love. To be content and wait quietly, patiently, giving Him our anxious thoughts. Being secure in faith, realizing God is listening to our prayers, and being content relying on His timing. Understanding that the Lord has plans for us, to prosper us, plans to give us hope and a future. Knowing His justice will shine brightly like the sun.

When current events and the news are overwhelming, do you take time to be still before the Lord?

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to be still, and to rest in Your love. Teach us to learn to be patient and to give You our anxious thoughts. Like the water lily blossom is still, reaching upwards, soaking up the sun help us to turn our face toward You soaking up Your light and love. Our Father, we thank you, for being our refuge and strength, and our ever-present help. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Righteous: Matthew 13:43

⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
The one who has ears had better listen!
Matthew 13:43 (NET)

You are the light of the world, Matthew states earlier in Matthew 5:14. As we live a life of righteousness, a Christian life, we become increasingly radiant, progressively brighter by growing closer to Christ. When we follow Him, trusting in Him and conforming to His ways we grow in His Spirit. A striving in love to achieve the promise of shining like the sun in the kingdom of Our Father.

Are you becoming increasingly radiant by living closer to Christ daily?

Prayer: Jesus our Savior, teach us to become increasingly radiant and draw closer to You daily. As the cluster of blossoms on the hydrangea grow, glow, and flourish in the sun, help us to grow in righteousness, and shine, flourishing in love toward each other. Lord, teach us to conform to Your teachings and become progressively brighter until we shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Sing: 1 Chronicles 16:23

23 Sing to God, everyone and everything! Get out his salvation news every day!
1 Chronicles 16:23 The Message

23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Share the news of his saving work every single day!

→ 1 Chronicles 16:23 (CEB)

Sing a joyful song to the Lord, express your adoration, open your voice in praise. For God is good, he is worthy of our exaltation and praiseful worship. When we sing our thoughts are quieted, and our hearts open to God with deeper feelings. God doesn’t judge our voice he just is waiting for us to make a joyful noise and share his salvation news with others. Let the heavens shout with joy! Holy, holy is our God!

How will you express your adoration to God today? Will you sing with joy?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we worship and praise You. We raise our voices to sing our love for You. Lord, we sing in thankfulness for Your forgiveness, salvation, and love. Like the bright open iris blossoms heralds, spring, help us sing open-hearted expressing our joy to You. In Jesus’ glorious name. Amen