Live by the Spirit – Romans 8:9

You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Romans 8:9 (BSB)

God gives his Holy Spirit to every believer. Christians have the spirit of God inside them; they are guided and led by the Holy Spirit. In other words, Christians are controlled and influenced by the Holy Spirit rather than flesh. People controlled by the flesh are self-serving, following the influence of corrupt desires.

In Christians, the Holy Spirit indwells, teaching us to become more Christ-like in our actions. Guiding and directing us, encouraging us to bear fruit. With the Holy Spirit, we grow in grace and produce fruit, fruits of love, joy, peace, goodness, and gentleness.

¹⁹The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:19-25 (NIV)

People who live by the flesh are self-reliant, led by sexual immorality, impurity, hatred, discord, and jealousy, instead of by Christ. Christians live by the Holy Spirit’s guidance, sanctifying and teaching us to be more Jesus-like. As children of God, we need to be spiritually minded Christians.

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your son, Jesus. Who died for our sins. Teach us to listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and direction so we can grow in grace and produce fruit. As the chrysanthemums glow with sunlight, let us glow and bear fruit in Jesus’ light. Amen.

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Actions and in Truth – 1 John 3:18

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth
1 John 3:18 (NIV)

John says in this verse that to love with words is not enough; that love requires meaningful actions. We are to love in action and in truth. We don’t need to serve others to be saved; through God’s grace, we are saved.

We serve others because we are saved; Jesus died for our sins. We should serve others through loving actions like Jesus. We can love with words but need to show love through our actions.

Actions and truth go side by side. The truth is what we believe as Christians, and what we believe should be demonstrated by our actions.

18 My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality.
1 John 3:18 (MSG)

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Is your love shown by action and in truth?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love, mercy and grace. Guide us and help us to grow more like Jesus. Teach us to exhibit actions that show Your truth and light. Like the bright and open flowers of the potentilla, let us open our hearts to love and brighten other people’s lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Happy Easter, my friends!

One: John 10:30

I and the Father are one.
John 10:30 (NIV)

Jesus is speaking to his disciples and the Pharisees in John 10. To His critics, Jesus was trying to explain the truth. The Pharisees do not believe Him to be the Messiah, even though Jesus’ teaching and miracles are consistent with the biblical prediction of the Messiah.

²⁵Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, ²⁶but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰I and the Father are one.”
John 10:25-30 (NIV)

In verse 30, Jesus proclaims, I and the Father are one. A statement that upset the Pharisees; they considered it arrogant, rude, and blasphemy. They are angry and try to stone Him, but Jesus escapes.

The statement “I and the Father are one” refers to the unity between God and Jesus. Jesus is not merely a messenger or a prophet. The Greek word used for “one” in this statement is in the neuter form, which implies unity. Essentially, this means that God and Jesus are unified as one. Jesus further emphasizes this unity in verse 38 by saying, “The Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”

38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
John 10:38 (NIV)

Verse 30 in the Message bible states that Jesus and the Father are one heart and mind.

No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.”
John 10:30 (MSG)

Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus perfectly obeyed the Lord, they both exhibited perfect love and unity, and they are one in heart and mind.

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Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Son Jesus. We are blessed that You and Jesus are one in heart and mind and keep your promises. Help us to emulate Jesus in our thoughts and actions. Like the anemone grows and flowers, let us grow like You and blossom in Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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A Great Light: Matthew 4:16

the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
Matthew 4:16(NIV)

Matthew is repeating a quote from Isaiah 9:2, showing Jesus fulfilled this prophecy, written about the Messiah.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The light has shined on those who lived in the land of the shadow of death.
Isaiah 9:2 (WEB)

Jesus is the great light; He is the light of the world (John 8:12). His light shines in the dark, and darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:5). Christ came to the people residing in the area known as the land living in darkness, located around Capernaum, an area vulnerable to attacks. He also comes to save people whose trespasses and sins have them living in darkness.

Jesus is the light of the world; whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12).

17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 4:17 (NIV)

Jesus preached for us to participate in God’s kingdom, we must repent of sins, change the direction of our lives, and follow Him and His ways.

People sitting out their lives in the dark saw a huge light;
Sitting in that dark, dark country of death, they watched the sun come up. This Isaiah-prophesied revelation came to life in Galilee the moment Jesus started preaching. He picked up where John left off: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”
Matthew 4-16-17(MSG)

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Are you living in darkness, or have you found the great light, Jesus?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for Jesus, a great light You brought into our lives. A light to save us from our sins and direct us on our path. Help us to change our lives and follow Jesus. As the flowers of the Jerusalem artichoke grow together, reaching for light, let us grow in faith, reaching for the great light, Jesus. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Useful and Meaningful-2 Peter 1:5-8

5Do your best to improve your faith by adding goodness, understanding, 6self-control, patience, devotion to God, 7concern for others, and love. 8If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful.
2 Peter 1:5-8 (CEV)

Peter earlier in verse 3 states that God gave us everything we need to live a life that pleases Him.

3We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. 4God made great and marvelous promises, so his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (CEV)

So, how do we please the Lord? By living like Jesus, by accepting and growing in various virtues. We improve our faith by embracing the virtues of goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, and love. God has equipped us, and through personal effort, our lives can be useful and meaningful.

How do we grow in goodness? By embracing virtues of moral excellence like those displayed by Jesus. While growing in patience, the ability to wait and not become annoyed or angry. It’s important to maintain self-control and control impulses when we are upset, while refraining from reacting. In addition, growth in faith occurs when we exhibit the virtues of understanding and concern for others.

These virtues help us become motivated to do good for others and make our lives useful and meaningful. When we improve our faith and add goodness and generous, selfless, sacrificial love, like Jesus, we will please the Lord.

5-9 So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus.
2 Peter 1:5-9 (MSG)

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To be useful and meaningful, which virtue doing you need to work on understanding, patience, self-control, devotion to God, or concern and love for others?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your grace and mercy. Help us to grow in faith while becoming more useful and meaningful. Teach us to embrace goodness and become more understanding and compassionate. As the daisies grow upward toward the sun, let us grow in love and follow Your Son. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Merciful: Luke 6:36-37

36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.
Luke 6:36-37 (NASB)

Mercy is the act of withholding deserved punishment. Mercy is the act of having mercy on others, not prejudging or condemning our foes. God’s mercy has saved us from our sins, and He wants us to show mercy towards others. Our focus should be on being merciful rather than judgmental, emulating our Holy Father.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7 (NASB)

To judge is to form an opinion or conclusion about another person; to condemn is to find someone guilty deserving of punishment. Instead of having hardened hearts and condemning others, if we forgive and pardon others, God will pardon us.

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:14

God loves us and wants us to love one another, being merciful, kind, and forgiving.

35-36 “I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind. ^37-38“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.”
Luke 6:35-38 (MSG)

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In your dealings with others, are you judgmental or merciful and kind?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your mercy and grace. Teach us to be non-judgmental, merciful, and forgiving. Help us to be sympathetic and compassionate. As the small geranium flowers cluster together, forming beautiful blooms, let us cluster together in harmony, reflecting God’s love. In Jesus Holy name. Amen

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Gentle Spirit: Philippians 4:5

5Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:5 (AMP)

Let your gentleness be evident to all, or as some versions say, let your gentle spirit, gracious attitude, or graciousness be known to all. These derive from the Greek word epiekes, which can translate to; gracious, fair, gentle, reasonable, tolerant, and forbearing. Whatever translation/definition you prefer, it should convey that Christians need to be reasonable, wise, and tolerant people; not easily angered.

Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit, a fruit; that we need to cultivate in our hearts; and show in our actions. Gentleness and patience; are attributes that allow people to feel at ease around you.

The Lord is near; we should learn to emulate him in gentleness and with conduct that is honorable.

Jesus said:

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:29 (NIV)

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Do you consider yourself to have a gentle spirit?

Prayer: Lord, we thank You for Your tolerance and grace toward us. Help us to be gentle and tolerant to others. Guide us on Your path for us and help us to emulate Jesus. Like the native sunflower, gently opening its petals help us to have a gentle spirit; and be tolerant in our dealings with other. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Follow Me: John 10:27

My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, they’ll never be lost, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
John 10:27-28(ISV)

Sheep recognize the voice of the one that feeds, guides, and protects them. Jesus is our Good Shepherd; He leads and protects us, His flock. He knows us by name and guides us, showing us the right way to live.

We learn to recognize Jesus’ voice and listen to His directions, obeying His commands. He gives us (His Sheep) protection and eternal life. No one can steal any of Jesus the Good Shepherd’s followers, for we are protected; God is great and in control.

Follow me (Jesus) for protection, guidance, and eternal life.

My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand.
John 10:27-28 (MSG)

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Are you following Jesus, listening, and being receptive to His call?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank you for your sacrifice and grace. Teach us to take time to be still and listen for your guidance. Help us to avoid evil and follow your direction. Jesus, teach us to follow You and have eternal life. As the white orchids blossoms align along the stem, let us align ourselves with You and follow Your path. Amen

Greatly Rejoice: Isaiah 61:10

Click for a free Download print of “greatly rejoice” flower with scripture photo.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10 (NRSV)

Isaiah greatly rejoices in the Lord; his whole being exults God. He is joyfully praising the Lord because the Lord clothed him in salvation and covered him in a robe of righteousness. We have been clothed in the beauty of His grace as a bridegroom and bride adorn themselves.

What joy to know the blessings of God, His love, forgiveness, grace, and salvation. We are saved by grace; through faith in Jesus. We greatly rejoice in the Lord, singing with joy. Let us celebrate our Lord with worship and praise.

I will sing for joy in God,
    explode in praise from deep in my soul!
He dressed me up in a suit of salvation,
    he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo
    and a bride a jeweled tiara.
Isaiah 61:10 (MSG)

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Do you greatly rejoice and lift your voice in joy in praise and worship to the Lord?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father; we thank You for Your forgiveness, promises, and grace. We greatly rejoice and praise You for our salvation through Jesus; and His sacrifice for us. Teach us to be righteous and exhibit justice and love. Like the lily flowers are open, reaching toward the sun, let us be open-hearted and reach out toward and follow Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

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Live in Him: 1 John 3:24

23And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
1 John 3:23-24 (NIV)

The Holy Spirit lives in believers, enlightening, sustaining, and guiding us to be more Christ-like. We are given the Holy Spirit, a gift from God, to guide us in truth. The presence of the Holy Spirit can’t be seen but is exhibited in its effect on a believer’s heart and life; by growth in faith, love, and sanctification.
A believer in Christ; lives in Him, and Christ lives in the believer; through the Holy Spirit.

Again, this is God’s command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us.
1 John 3:23-24 (MSG)

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Does God live in you? When we believe in Jesus and love one another, God lives in us, and we live in Him.

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and grace. Guide us to live in You and love others as you have loved us. Teach us to listen to the Holy Spirit and find help and guidance. As the hardy geraniums glows with raindrops in the sunlight, let us glow with Your love and spread Your light. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

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