Thursday, April 30, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 30

Isaiah 43:1-7
(Memorization Scripture 1-2)
1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

3 For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”
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Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 29

Isaiah 40:27-31
(Memorization Scripture 29-31 )
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
28 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

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Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 28

Psalm 28:6-9
(Memorization Scripture 7 )
6 Blessed be the Lord,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.

8 The Lord is [b]their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His [c]anointed.
9 Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever.
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Monday, April 27, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 27

Isaiah 41:10-16
(Memorization Scripture10 )
10 Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’


11 “Behold, all those who were incensed against you
Shall be ashamed and disgraced;
They shall be as nothing,
And those who strive with you shall perish.
12 You shall seek them and not find them—
[e]Those who contended with you.
Those who war against you
Shall be as nothing,
As a nonexistent thing.
13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

14 “Fear not, you worm Jacob,
You men of Israel!
I will help you,” says the Lord
And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
15 “Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth;
You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small,
And make the hills like chaff.
16 You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away,
And the whirlwind shall scatter them;
You shall rejoice in the Lord,
And glory in the Holy One of Israel.
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Sunday, April 26, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 26

Isaiah 43:15-21
(Memorization Scripture19 )
15 I am the Lord, your Holy One,
The Creator of Israel, your King.”
16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea
And a path through the mighty waters,
17 Who brings forth the chariot and horse,
The army and the power
(They shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
They are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick):
18 “Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert
.
20 The beast of the field will honor Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I give waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My praise.
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Saturday, April 25, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 25

Psalm 126:1-6
(Memorization Scripture 4-6)
1 When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.

5 Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes [c]forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again [e]with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

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Friday, April 24, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 24

Isaiah 35:3-10
(Memorization Scripture 8-10)
3 Strengthen the [c]weak hands,
And make firm the [d]feeble knees.
4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you.”

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.
7 The parched ground shall become a pool,
And the thirsty land springs of water;
In the habitation of jackals, where each lay,
There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

8 A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

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Thursday, April 23, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 23

2 Corinthians 1:20-22
(Memorization Scripture 20-22)
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 22

2 Corinthians 12:8-10
(Memorization Scripture 9-10)
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
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Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 21

Ephesians 3:14-21
(Memorization Scripture 14-19)
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
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Monday, April 20, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 20

2 Corinthians 4:7-12
(Memorization Scripture 7-10)
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
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Sunday, April 19, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 19

Philippians 4:10-13
(Memorization Scripture 13)
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your[c] care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to [e]abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
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Saturday, April 18, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 18

1 Peter 5:7-11
(Memorization Scripture 7-9)
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.8 Be sober, be [d]vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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Friday, April 17, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 17

Philippians 4:4-9
(Memorization Scripture 6-7)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your [b]gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
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Thursday, April 16, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 16

John 14:15-21
(Memorization Scripture 16、21)
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
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Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 15

1 Peter 1:3-9
(Memorization Scripture 5-7)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
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Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 14

Ephesians 1:17-23
(Memorization Scripture 20-23)
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

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Monday, April 13, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 13

2 Corinthians 4:7-12
(Memorization Scripture 7-10)
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
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Saturday, April 11, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 11

Scriptures:
“Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit."(Luke 23:46)

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:17-18)
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:19-23)


Psalm 31:1-8

Message:
As we stand at the foot of the cross and hear this final saying, we realize this is not any ordinary death. Jesus had earlier told us that he would not die at the hands of men but by his own obedient volition (John 10:17-18). For Jesus, death is no out-of-control enemy. No matter how bleak the moment, he knows his Father is present with Him and there to accept, protect, and will soon resurrect Him and so into God’s loving hands our Lord Christ entrusts His spirit. Jesus both trusts His redemption and glorification into the Father’s everlasting arms as well as knowing that the Father accepts and approves of Jesus’ whole earthly life.

These words have been called Jesus’ entrance-greeting to Heaven. Jesus, who had been with the Father in glory from eternity past, is going to step back into his full glory (John 17:5) in honor, power, and authority at the Father’s right hand. This amazing turning point in the earthly life of Christ and the pinnacle of all human history was actually visible: the sky turned an ominous black in the middle of the day and the heavy, thick temple curtain was torn in two (the new reality in the heavens and on earth that the sacrificial system of the temple was at a close). A new era had begun.

It is here through Jesus’ cross-work that we are both drawn to Christ and redeemed before our Father. At this moment our Lord Jesus is restored to His full glory and we are given the chance to enter into that glory, into the very presence of God. As the temple curtain that had separated mankind from the holy of holies is removed, so too is the separation between our lives and God’s presence through Jesus Christ’s final sacrifice and imparted righteousness. We have the confidence to enter the holy presence of God by the blood of Jesus.

Meditation:
Paul said in II Timothy 1:12, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that day." Meditate on the absolute security you have in Christ’s salvation and imparted righteousness. Think too on the fact that you can now confidently enter into the holiest of holies, standing before the Lord with no condemnation -- all because of the new and living way Christ has opened up (Hebrews 10:19-23)! This news is not too good to be true but the wondrous gospel that now you have no obstacle stopping you from coming to the Father. Nothing can tear you away from God’s love, nothing can forfeit Christ’s redemption, and nothing can ever steal away the Spirit’s presence in your life. If this is true, think about the spectacular security, intimacy, and fellowship with God that is yours today and for eternity.

What we can do:
Jesus here quotes from Psalm 31, when David in distress expressed full confidence in the Lord’s deliverance. Today pray Jesus’ words as the truth of your salvation and ask the Lord to ground your trust in His deliverance from any overwhelming distress you’re suffering in your career, marriage, family, friendships, finances, and relationship with God.

Ask the Spirit to examine your heart today--is your trust primarily and exclusively in God? Psalm 31 contrasts entrusting our lives to God with trusting in idols. Spend 3-5 minutes before God, asking the Holy Spirit to show you where you are putting your security in things other than Christ. If yes, then humbly ask the Holy Spirit to turn your heart to trust fully in Christ.


Draw near to God knowing Jesus’ blood has paid it all. No guilt or shame should keep you from the sweet fellowship of the Father as most assuredly Jesus cleansed you from sin in His death on the cross. Is anything disturbing your faith, any sin hindering you from drawing near to God, or any evil troubling your conscience today? Christ is faithful to forgive you today, washing you clean, so that you might draw near to God with a pure heart.

Song: Take Me In (To the Holy of Holies)


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Friday, April 10, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 10

Scriptures:
So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (John 19:30)
Message:
“Calvary is the very pivot of the world's history. All prior things pointed forward to it; and all subsequent things point back to it. Even the future rests upon it, for the redeemed in heaven find it the center of heaven as they behold a Lamb in the midst of the throne, ‘standing as though it had been slain.’” - Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis

“It is finished,” is probably the most critical sentence out of the seven last sayings of Christ from the cross. When Jesus said, "It is finished” (Tetelestai - “τετελέσται” in Greek), it was not a dying groan of pain, but rather Jesus speaking of the glorious truth that He had completely accomplished what the Lord had given Him to do (John 17:4). The work of the Incarnate Word had been completed:
Satan was defeated;
Every requirement of the Law was fulfilled and God’s holy wrath against sin has been satisfied;
By simply believing in Christ and receiving Him as Savior, not only are sinners reconciled with the holy God, but they are also united with Jesus Christ. They are called children of God and made co-heirs with Christ. Their joy is in the Lord.

Perhaps what is even more worth noting is that the original Greek word Tetelestai - τετελέσται actually means "it has been now and forever finished.” The word was also written on business receipts in New Testament times to indicate that a bill had been “paid in full.” Since Jesus proclaimed that God’s salvation plan is now and forever accomplished, we have the full assurance that our redemption is eternally secured. He left no unfinished business behind.

Hallelujah! It is finished …… indeed!
Meditation:
Try to recall the related prophecies from the Old Testament and teachings from the New Testament concerning what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Give praise and thanks to God as you meditate on them. Here are a few examples
:
Hebrews 10:12-14: But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
2 Corinthians 5:21: For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Genesis 3:15b: He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.
Romans 3:24c-25a: ...Jesus Christ, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness.
Romans 6:10: For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
Hebrews 2:14-15: Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Our response:
Write out words of thanksgiving and praise for your salvation in Jesus Christ. Put it in your Bible so that it can remind you to be grateful for God.

Knowing that you stand in Jesus’ victorious position, look at your present circumstances and difficulties from a new perspective. Write down how looking at your present situation from a new perspective changes how you approach life. Share with another person.

Song: It is finished (V1, V2), Jesus Paid It All.

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Thursday, April 9, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 09

Scripture:
“After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” (John 19:28-30)

Message:
I thirst. Yes, Jesus was thirsty. He, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, is the Son of God. He was betrayed, was arrested, was struck, was insulted, and suffered in an illegal, rigged trial by the Sanhedrin. He was later brought to Golgotha and was crucified. For a day and night, He had been experiencing the excruciating torment and brutal punishment of the cross. He thirsted as His human body went through such anguish. When talking about Jesus, Paul says, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8).” How great is the love of Jesus! The Son of God was willing to die for me. He laid down his life and shed his blood for the forgiveness of my sin.

Yes, Jesus was thirsty. However, no water was given to him. A soldier ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. This also witnesses that Jesus is the Messiah who was predicted in the Old Testament, as it fulfills what was written in Psalm 69:21: “They also gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” The Son of God, who personally suffered so greatly, cried out to the world, “if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). The Son of God is the living water, which never dries up. Jesus, our Lord, we thank you for You have laid down Your life for us and filled those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Meditation:
Come to Jesus with a faithful and grateful heart. Think about the reason why Jesus would suffer on the cross for us and feel the love of Jesus, our Lord. Today, if he says to you, “I thirst,” what will be your response?

What we can do:
Pray that God helps us to care for and help people who are in need through our love for Jesus Christ today. Matthew 25:34-40 “... for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; ...Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

Song: H297 I Gave My Life for Thee

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Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 08

Scriptures:
The LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isa. 53:6b)

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21)

Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mat. 27:45-46)

Message Sharing:
This is the most painful moment for Jesus! Jesus, the Holy Lamb of God, never sinned, yet bore the iniquities for the whole world, and is the propitiation for our sins. The Father forsook the Son because the Son took upon Himself all of our iniquities. Jesus Christ not only bore man’s sin but actually became sin on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21), in order that those who believe in Him might be saved from the penalty of their sin. He is the substitute for you and me, and for all mankind. Without this substitute, we would not be able to be reconciled with the Father. Yet, this “substitution” caused such excruciating pain in Jesus - for He had to be separated from Father! The holy God can never coexist with sin! If God the Father even forsook Jesus, His only begotten Son, because sin was on Him, how is it possible that we can run away from God’s wrath if we sin? Yet, wonderfully, we are all sinners now saved by grace.

Meditation:
1) What is my attitude toward sin after I understand that God can not tolerate sin?
2) Have you ever been wrongly accused for something that you did not do and have to suffer greatly for it? Think today of how great a price Jesus has paid for you.

What we can do:
“Father God, please let me see sin the way you see it. Please help me not to take it lightly. If there are any sins in my life right now, I promise to cut off all ties to them. May the Holy Spirit who testifies for Jesus Christ convict me of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement. In the victorious name of Jesus I pray.”
Song: Lamb of God

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Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 07

Scriptures:
25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother,“Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:25-27)

Message:
Today’s scripture is the third saying spoken by Jesus on the cross. We will dive into its precious meaning from two angles.

A) It fully expresses the beautiful humanity of Jesus
After Jesus, who is the Word, became flesh, not only did He obey God’s will in His human body and thus fulfill what God had entrusted to Him, but His life speaks to glorifying God in the flesh. In His everyday life and speech, we see the most glorious of humanity. As John testifies, “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18). The author of Hebrews states, “[Christ] being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3). The Bible has a great number of depictions of Jesus’ kindness, gentleness, humility, love and empathy; all of them illustrate His perfect humanness. Here, as Christ is about to endure the cruelest of trials and the deepest of sufferings, He still thinks of His mother’s pain and needs, and He entrusts her to His beloved disciple. In this account, it is as if the Holy Spirit cracked open a small window for us to peer through, and we witness His most attentive love and perfect humanity. Not only is He the true God but also the true human. He is the only one that can live out perfect humanity, and He alone is able to understand all of our weaknesses and needs - “for we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15).

Meditation:
Try to recall and meditate on every description of Jesus’ beautiful humanity in Scripture. Give praise and give thanks to God for each of them.

What we can do:
Imitate Christ. Please spend two to three minutes and pray for your parents or your closest family. Write down your prayer.

B) “We are a family” in Christ
Not only did the blood of Christ show His great love for us, but through these words, we see that in Christ, through His glorious life and love, we have become His family. The cross not only abolished all enmity, but it also removed all dividing walls (Ephesians 2:14-15). We “are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19). This is just as Jesus reminded us when He was on earth, “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50).

Meditation:
Why is the cross of Jesus Christ necessary for us to become a member of the household of God?

What we can do:
In this week, as a member of God’s household, please express your love to one member in church as you would express such love to your own parents or own child.

Song: H291 O, To Be Like Thee

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Monday, April 6, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 06

Scriptures:
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43)

Message:
Have you ever realized that all of us once despised and rejected Jesus, not knowing Him, and were even enemies of Him (Col 1:21), just like the first robber in this passage? We are all destined to be perishing sinners. However, the second robber confessed that he was a sinner and believed that Jesus was the holy lamb of God, acknowledging Jesus as his savior. As a dying criminal who sinned his whole life, it must be his ultimate joy and hope to hear Jesus say “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise”. At the same time, the repentance of this robber was also a great comfort to Jesus, as He got to see the fruit of His labor.

The same sacrificial love on the cross is still there for everyone of us today. It’s never too late to accept Jesus as our savior no matter how broken, filthy, or sinful we are. Any time we can make a U-turn to our Heavenly Father, who always welcomes us home with open arms.

Meditation:
Think of how Jesus restored and encouraged us when we were in our spiritual valley, and offer thanksgiving and praises to Him for that. Search your heart to see if there is still any sin that makes your fear or keeps you from the joy of your perfect salvation. Commit yourself completely to the Lord through prayers and repentance.

What we can do:
Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal and cleanse all our presumptuous and secret sins (disobedience, pride, addiction, enslavement to Satan, and the lust of the flesh). Embrace the peace of salvation through prayers.
Tell at least one seeker that Jesus loves him/her and share with him/her your testimony.

Song: H164 Just As I Am/I Come Broken

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Sunday, April 5, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 05

Scriptures:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Message:
Today is Palm Sunday. In this upcoming week when we remember and honor the passion of Jesus Christ, we recall once more the complete salvation that Christ has accomplished through his suffering on the cross. On Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the crowd shouted, “Hosanna” (which means “save us”), in hopes that Jesus would deliver them from being subjugated by the Gentiles of Rome. No one knew, however, that Jesus came into Jerusalem to obey the will of God and to give himself as a sin offering so that people everywhere can be set apart from sin, death, and eternal judgement. As Christ was nailed to the cross in His bare flesh, he withstood pain and shame, and with a face covered in blood, he looked to the heavens and prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” This is the first sentence spoken by Christ on the cross. Let us consider that Jesus was not only referring to the Jews and Roman soldiers who put in the nails, but it is our sins too that have nailed Jesus to the cross. He forgave the sinners standing before Him and He too forgives us our sins from the inside out. His forgiveness is for all of time, unconditional, and complete.

Meditation:
Let us spend a little time today to repent and be still before the Lord. Meditate on: 1) It was for my sins that Christ was nailed to the cross, and through entering his suffering on the cross, may I become more sensitive to my own sins. 2) His forgiveness is always present, unconditional, and complete.

What we can do:
Confess that I am a sinner and thank God for the riches of His grace, so that I have the redemption in Christ through His blood and the forgiveness of sins. (Eph.1:6)

Accept in my heart His complete forgiveness. Allow the Lord also to prune me through the work of the cross, and rid me of everything, including hobbies and habits, that do not please Him, so that the life of Christ may reign in me and that I may bear much fruit for His glory.

Song: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross


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Saturday, April 4, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 04

Isaiah 53:4-7
(Memorization Scripture 4-5)
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.

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Friday, April 3, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 03

1 Timothy 1:15-17
(Memorization Scripture 15-17)
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
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Thursday, April 2, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 02

Psalms 62:5-8
(Memorization Scripture 5-8)
5 My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah



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Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Daily Scripture - Apr 1

Psalm 32:6-11
(Memorization Scripture 7-9)
6 For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
7 You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.

10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
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