Friday, May 10, 2024

Friday, May 10, 2024
Luke 2:51b
His mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

Have you ever had a treasure box? Something that held all your trinkets and treasures that you pulled out every once and awhile just to behold the things that carry those memories you never wanted to forget. Well, Mary, the mother of Jesus, kept treasures too. But she didn’t put them in a box, she treasured them in her heart. Moments of Jesus fulfilling Scripture, moments where He must have surprised her, moments when others knew something she didn’t. She kept all those beautiful moments described as treasures in a place where nothing could take them away. And maybe that treasure box isn’t where memories should be stored, where moth and rust destroy. Maybe you should hold them in your own heart instead.

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Thursday, May 9, 2024
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

God’s words. They permeate your heart, shape your thoughts, and call you to action. But it’s when those words start to truly transform your life that the next generation gets to hear them too. And not just at church, but in those every day, seemingly mundane moments of life. Challenge yourself today to create an environment where your faith is integrated into every aspect of your life.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Proverbs 31:28
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

When women read this passage of Proverbs, it can feel like reading about the perfect women. She does all the right things, says all the best words, and seems to have an endless supply of energy and ability to provide for her family. But that’s not why her children rise and call her blessed. They do it because she wipes away tears, picks up the broken pieces, and helps put things back together again. And when it happens another time, she’ll be there to do it all over again. She’s not perfect, she’s simply faithful.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Ephesians 6:2-3
“Honor your father and mother, that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Honoring your parents can be an easy task that you want to fulfill, or it can be a difficult one. Especially if they haven’t fulfilled the role of ‘parent’ very well. And yet, God asks you to set aside your feelings and choose to show them some recognition for their effort. Honoring might look like sharing a kind word, extending forgiveness, or it might look like you are sharing the truth of the gospel with them. Ultimately, when you choose to love your parents like Jesus, you honor them in the best way possible.

Monday, May 6, 2024

Monday, May 6, 2024
Proverbs 1:8
Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.

Solomon, the man of wisdom, encourages you to learn from your parents. But not all parents are created equal. Even David, his own dad, wasn’t a perfect example and made quite a few mistakes. But Solomon’s message wasn’t for you to live a perfect life, it was so you wouldn’t have to suffer consequences that you could bypass by trusting the warnings of those who’ve gone before you. And maybe it’s their mistakes that change the course of your life.

Friday, May 3, 2024

Friday, May 3, 2024
Acts 16:25
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

In the midst of suffering and persecution, what will you be found doing? Paul and Silas were found praising God and singing hymns to Him. This was after they were arrested, beaten and then put in prison. Instead of feeling fear and doubt creep in, they felt praise and thanksgiving well up in their hearts. So much so, they had a worship service in the prison at midnight. It’s a great reminder, that even in the most difficult of situations, your worship to God can bring comfort, strength, and even influence, not just you, but to others as well.