Everlasting Love: Jeremiah 31:3

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
(NIV)

The Israelites had not kept God’s commandments. They were in exile in Babylon. In this verse, God promises to forgive them and restore them. This is an example of God’s grace and his love and kindness.

This verse showcases God’s grace, love, and kindness. For God is holy and just; and His faithfulness endures for generations. When we repent our sins, give up our sinful ways, and turn to God, He forgives us.

For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Psalm 100:5 (NLT)

For God is love; it’s His very nature; He is forgiving, and He loves us with everlasting love.

God is generous and doesn’t limit His kindness. For God shows us unfailing kindness, never-ending kindness through His everlasting love. He will always be there for us, listening to our prayers and helping us.

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God loves us with an everlasting love; do you respond with love and forgiveness to others?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your forgiveness, grace, and kindness. We raise our thanks and praise for Your faithfulness and everlasting love. Guide us in Your truth and light. Like the red rose’s beauty shines brightly and brings happiness, let us shine brightly, reflecting Your light and Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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The Lord will Rescue Me – 2 Timothy 4:18

¹⁶At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. ¹⁷But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. ¹⁸The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:16-18 (NIV)

Second Timothy; was written by Paul while he was in prison. He was writing to encourage Timothy to assure him that God keeps His promises; He is faithful.

Paul praises God; he expected to die soon but was confident of his eternal destiny.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18 (NIV)

He had the assurance that the Lord would rescue him from evil and; bring him safely to His heavenly kingdom. Instead of despairing, he was able to rejoice in the Lord, saying, “To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen”.
For Christ is the power and glory forever and ever!

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Do you have assurance in God’s promises; that He will rescue you from evil and bring you safely to His heavenly kingdom?

Prayer; Lord, we thank You for helping us and rescuing us from evil. Teach us to rely on You and have faith in Your promises. As the Gerbera Daisy flowers spread upward; toward the sun, let us reach upward toward Christ Your Son. We raise our praises, to You be the glory forever and ever. Amen

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Seek His Kingdom: Matthew 6:33

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33 (NLT)

To seek means to strive after, endeavor to find, and tenaciously look for; to strive after something. In other words, Jesus tells us to strive after the Kingdom of God above all else. Instead of fruitless worry over worldly concerns, Jesus tells us to trust the heavenly Father; He provides His children with what is needed.

We need to pursue the kingdom of God, trusting in God’s righteousness and His love. God knows our needs. He will provide for our basic needs when we live righteously and trust in Him. We need to change our focus from material things instead make our priority focusing on seeking the Kingdom of God. When we make our relationship with God the center of our life, he will give us everything we really need. ⁂

Do you try to solve your problems and worries elsewhere, or do you turn to the Kingdom of God?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and care. Lord, teach us to reach out to you instead of relying on our understanding. Help us to live righteously and have faith and trust in Your care for us. Guide us to pursue Your kingdom and accept Your will. Like the Ranunculus blossom opening in the sunlight, let us be open-hearted and turn toward and share Your light, Lord Jesus. Amen

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Be Content: Hebrews 13:5

Don’t love money. Be happy with what you have because God has said, “I will never abandon you or leave you.”
Hebrews 13:5 (GWT)

Love of money, an unhealthy desire for wealth, or covetousness; are worldly behaviors that lead to dissatisfaction and envy. Christians need to be thankful for what they have and not be anxious about worldly things. Our lives should not revolve around earthly treasures, which are easily lost or destroyed. Instead, we should store our treasures in heaven; by living the way God asks us to live.
We should be happy and thankful for all God has given us; be content. For God says, I will never abandon you or leave you. An attitude of contentment brings heartfelt peace and leads to a positive outlook exemplifying Christian life.

5-6 Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;
I’m fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?
Hebrews 13:5-6 (MSG)

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Are you worried about your status and keeping up with the neighbors; or content in the knowledge that God will never abandon or leave you?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your forgiveness and love. Teach us to be content with what we have, and realize what is important in life. Help us to store our treasures in heaven; rather than in material things. Like the zinnia flower reflects sunlight, let us reflect Your light and spread Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Our Hope: Psalm 33:22

My Easter Basket

20We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield.

21In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

22Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone.
Psalm 33: 20-22 (NLT)

My hope is in the Lord; my soul waits for Him. What is hope? A dictionary definition is a feeling of trust. There is a close connection between hope and trust. Biblically, hope can be defined as a confident expectation of God’s promises. A confident expectation in what God has promised, and belief in God’s faithfulness, gives us hope.

The Lord is our help, shield, and salvation. Trusting in His holy name and unfailing love causes our hearts to rejoice.

Verse 22 is a closing prayer; Dear Lord, let your unfailing love and loving devotion surround us; for our hope is in you alone. Amen ⁂

When you have problems and concerns, where is your hope; is your hope in the Lord?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, You are our strength, help, and shield. We thank You for your grace, compassion, and unfailing love. You are our hope Lord; our hearts rejoice in Your faithfulness. Like bulbs planted in the Fall grow and bring joy in Spring, may our faith grow and our hope be in You alone. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Rescue Me: Psalm 55:16

16As for me, I will call upon God,
And the Lord shall save me.
17Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.
Psalm 55:16-17 (KJV)

Fear, trials, and problems can be discouraging and overwhelming to us; however, the Lord is with us and hears our prayers. When we are afraid or worried, we can call upon the Lord. We can give Him our burdens and rest upon His promises. He saves us, protects us, sustains us, comforts us, and rescues us. We have no prayer limit; we can reach out as often as we want; for the Lord welcomes our prayers.

David had confidence in the Lord; He constantly reached out to Him in prayer and with thanksgiving. He knew the Lord heard His voice and would save Him. ⁂

^16-18I call to God;
    God will help me.
At dusk, dawn, and noon I sigh
    deep sighs—he hears, he rescues.
My life is well and whole, secure
    in the middle of danger
Even while thousands
    are lined up against me.
Psalm 55:16-18 (MSG)

When you are afraid, weary, and overwhelmed, do you reach out to the Lord with confidence; in prayer?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for listening to our prayers and helping us. Help us to turn our concerns, fears, and worries over you; in prayer. God, teach us to reach out to you, rest on Your promises, and spread Your love. Thanks for hearing our prayers and rescuing us. Like the hidden daylily seeks sunshine, let us reach out for help and seek Your light. In Jesus’ loving name. Amen

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Guide Me – Teach Me: Psalm 25:5

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25:5 (NKJV)

In this verse, David asks the Lord to guide him in His truth, to teach him His ways. Psalm 25 is a prayer; earlier in the psalm, David describes God’s ways, which include praying, waiting on the Lord, being teachable, humble, and obeying the Lord. It means relying on the Lord to guide and teach, looking to the Lord continually for direction, and trusting with a trust not shaken by worldly circumstances or concerns.
For You are my God, My Savior, and I will wait all day long, trusting, hoping, and relying on You. ⁂

Where do you look for guidance? Do you ask the Lord to guide and teach you?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your guidance and love. We ask You to guide us in Your truth and teach us Your ways. Lord, teach us to trust and rely on You. You are our salvation; our hope is in You all day long. Like the balloon flower’s balloon-like buds grow into star-shaped flowers, Lord, guide us to grow in patience and hope. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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Lamp: 2 Samuel 22:29

You, LORD, are my lamp; the LORD turns my darkness into light.
2 Samuel 22:29 (NIV)

Chapter 22 in 2 Samuel is a hymn from David, a hymn praising God and thanking Him for deliverance. David called out to the Lord, asking for help, protection, and deliverance from his enemies and Saul. The Lord heard David and helped him, protecting him, guiding him, and saving him from his enemies. The Lord was his lamp; brightly shining forth light; illuminating the darkness of wickedness, depression, loneliness, and despair.
The Lord is our lamp, illuminating our path and brightening our lives with His light of understanding, hope, and peace.⁂

Is the Lord, your lamp? Do you reach out to Him on dark days, letting Him turn your darkness into light?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for your protection, help, and care. You are our lamp; teach us to reach out to You in our darkest times. Help us to trust you to shine Your light on our worries and fear. Teach us to be patient and trust in Your strength and power. Like flowers grow, flourish, and glow in the sunlight; let us flourish and glow in Your light. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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Listen: Isaiah 48:1718

This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
Psalm 48:17 (NIV)

Isaiah is a prophet who is bringing a message from God. The people were praising God with their words but not with their actions; their hearts were far from Him. At this time, they were probably in captivity in Babylon.
Isaiah’s words are ones of encouragement; God had not forgotten them. They need to change their ways and action. To listen to God and obey His laws. For God knows best; follow His directions and His path.

“If only you had listened to my commands! Then blessings would have flowed for you like a stream that never goes dry. Victory would have come to you like the waves that roll on the shore.
Isaiah 48:18 (GNT)

In verse 18, God reminds them that if they Had listened to Him instead of following sinful ways, His blessing would have flowed like a stream that never runs dry. Victory and peace would be theirs; rich blessings would be abundant, rolling like waves over the land.

What does this mean for us? It is vital to keep God’s laws and act accordingly. To have a teachable spirit and an attentive heart and to listen to the Lord, obey Him, and let Him guide our way. ⁂

Do you take time to listen to God; and have a teachable spirit?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your patience and forgiveness. Lead us on Your path of righteousness and teach us to listen and obey. Like the Gerbera Daisy turns toward the sun, let us turn toward You and follow Your ways. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

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All I Ever Need – Psalm 73:26

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
Psalm 73:26 (NLT)

Psalm 73 is a psalm of lament written by Asaph. He felt bitter and unhappy because he saw the wicked prospering.

2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud
when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
Psalm 73: 2-3 (NLT)

He tried but couldn’t understand God’s ways; until he went into God’s sanctuary.

16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
Psalm 73: 16-17 (NLT)

Asaph then realized that wickedness and evil have consequences. Earthly life ends, and eternal judgment awaits. He realizes that trust in God is paramount. That God is his portion, his source of happiness. That God is the strength of his heart, the rock of his heart. He realizes that God is his and our’s forever. God is all we ever need. He is our salvation. ⁂

When you face difficulties, do you trust in God, understanding He is all you ever need?

Prayer; Our Heavenly Father, teach us to come to you with our problems and concerns. Help us to grow in faith and realize You are in control. Let us embrace Your strength, realizing You are all we ever need. Like the sunflowers turn toward the sun and shine with light; let us turn to You and shine Your light. In Jesus’ holy and loving name. Amen

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