May 2018 Passages
May 1, 2018
Words can be hurtful and hard to take back. Jesus equates harmful words toward others as murder. When angry , pray and be mindful before you speak.
"“You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder......The simple moral fact is that words kill."
May 2, 2018
Is what you say, what you mean? If you say "no" do you stand firm or if you reply "yes", do you follow through?
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
May 3, 2018
People who go against you, have to have the last word, need to prove they are better, self centered,pray for them. Those who plot evil and hate crimes and flaunt disobedient behavior, pray for them. And because of your prayers, may the Holy Spirit open their hearts to the goodness of Jesus.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
May 4, 2018
Do acts of kindness from your heart and out of obedience to Jesus.
“Be [very] careful not to do your good deeds publicly, to be seen by men; otherwise you will have no reward [prepared and awaiting you] with your Father who is in heaven. “So whenever you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not blow a trumpet before you [to advertise it], as the hypocrites do [like actors acting out a role] in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored and recognized and praised by men. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, they [already] have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing [give in complete secrecy], so that your charitable acts will be done in secret; and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you.
May 5, 2018
Prayer with God is sacred. It is a time to unplug from the world and ourselves to focus on him. Tell him your concerns and joys . Read scripture and then listen.
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
May 6, 2018
What is it you value most in life? Is it success, money, knowledge? When Jesus is first in your life, everything else falls appropriately in place.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
May 7, 2018
To the degree we believe Jesus and have faith in him we will not worry. The more we worry, the less our faith is in him. Trust him with everything you have.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?
May 8, 2018
God has given Jesus the role of Judge. We are commanded to love, extend mercy, and when appropriate correct and instruct.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
May 9, 2018
Our Heavenly Father delights in giving to us what we need to love others and our life, grow and mature, and most importantly draw near to him. Go to him in prayer and believe he has a plan hearing the desires of your heart and open your eyes to what you have already received.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
May 10, 2018
To go along with what everyone else is doing or believing may seem right at the time and can even be easy, but may not be without consequences. Jesus calls us to be set apart, to be Holy like our Heavenly Father.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
May 11, 2018
We are able to keep standing when we have had bad days, hear harsh cruel words, face terrible situations and fear because we trust Jesus and choose to live out his word.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
May 12, 2018
Knowledge of God is written on our hearts and minds. Daily moments of prayer, seeking God, acts of kindness, stepping out in faith,and trusting him builds with us the Kingdom of God deepening our relationship with him which we in turn we can share with others.
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
May 14, 2018
Our praise to God for everything, even what we see as small and insignificant opens our hearts and minds to him and see him working through us and for us daily.
"Praise the Lord . Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord . Praise the Lord .
May 15, 2018
Wisdom is the quality of your character learned and demonstrated from life's lessons God teaches.
My child, do not despise the Lord ’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed."
May 16, 2018
May today and always you know the power of the Lord Jesus in and around you.
'For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
May 17, 2018
Strongholds, evil in nature, have a way of convincing you there is no way out. Yet the power of God can crush whatever prison holds you hostage!
I cry aloud to the Lord ; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.
May 18, 2018
We learn through our most difficult times to trust Jesus. When we don't have enough, Jesus is all we need.
I cry to you, Lord ; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
May 19, 2018
There aren't any new types of sin, but it can be disguised as something good , fun, or even right which catches our attention. Be mindful of the Holy Spirit's direction and strength given to us to resist it.
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
May 20, 2018
Sometimes God says "No" to make clear our dependence is on him and not ourselves or anyone else.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
May 21, 2018
Love and desire to know Jesus such that when others see your joy and faith and ask why... you will be prepared to answer.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
May 22, 2018
Hatred has no place just because you don't agree with a person's stance, belief,or actions. Instead model Christ's life on Earth extending forgiveness, grace, mercy, and brotherly love which can sow the seed for them to desire to be like Christ.
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
May 23, 2018
It can be easy to "fly off the handle" when angry or feeling insulted. But instead, hold your tongue and pray for the one who has triggered this emotion.
"Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech."
May 24, 2018
Each day starts new. While getting out of bed, train your mind to say good morning to Jesus and begin listening and speaking to him so righteous thoughts and behaviors set the tone for managing each situation during the day.
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
May 25, 2018
To rehash over and over what was done wrong, label oneself negatively, have mistakes be your identity,or believe shame, is counterproductive to those whose faith is in Jesus. Sin is no longer a prison!
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
May 26, 2018
We are not above suffering. The decision to live as Christ means we begin a transformation of which is contrary to our culture that is to deny sinful desires, self absorbed opinions, and face rejection from those who don't believe.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
May 27, 2018
Living as scripture teaches is like adding corrective lenses for the eyes- living godly becomes clear as knowledge and wisdom of God deepens the walk of faith.
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."
May 28, 2018
Stepping out in faith, goodness results learning about God and gaining wisdom and his strength to persevere through challenges and trials; being refined into a godly child of God.
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
May 29, 2018
God has given us ways to know and believe him. We see the Majesty of him through nature. We believe because of the confirmation of him in scripture from eye witnesses such as the Apostle Peter. And by our choice we believe in him by faith.
"For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
May 30, 2018
There are those today who will try to use you for their benefit and will falsley teach about life persuading tolerance and acceptance of all beliefs contrary to the teachings and commands of Jesus. Do not include them in your inner circleor you may begin to think they are correct.
"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute."
May 31, 2018
Do you ever wonder if what you do is pleasing to Jesus? Ask yourself: Do I walk the walk? Is what I say I believe how I live?
"I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you."