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A Formerly Disabled New Creation Scripture Reading — Acts 3:1-10 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. Acts 3:8 Have you ever been allowed into a place that was off-limits? Think of a young sports player...

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:41-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship. . . . Acts 2:42 In our home we have a family picture on the wall above our fireplace. All of the smiling people in it are there because they were born into our family or they married into it...

Scripture Reading — Acts 2:1-41 Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd. . . . Acts 2:14 Can God do anything good with me? We might ask this question when we feel as if we are beyond God’s help. We see our flaws and mistakes, and we wonder how God could even...

Scripture Reading — John 21:15-19 Then [Jesus] said to [Peter], “Follow me!” John 21:19 Peter had made some hurtful mistakes. And our text for today shows how Jesus gently addressed them. Before Jesus was arrested and crucified, Peter had promised never to disown or abandon Jesus. He had even...

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Tomorrow is Sunday, and many Christians throughout the world will attend a worship service at their church. Others may meet in homes or other...

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Chip had become an old man, and when he returned to the small town where he had grown up, hardly anyone recognized him. It wasn’t because he...

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 When Jesus came back to life, the people who saw him required new eyes to see him clearly, truly. Mary saw only a gardener until Jesus spoke her...

Jesus’ Breath Scripture Reading — John 20:19-23 He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22 Dead people don’t breathe. And they surely don’t breathe life that flows into others! Just a few days earlier, Jesus had “breathed his last” (Luke 23:46), and everyone around him...

Scripture Reading — Luke 24:13-35 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. Luke 24:31 I often wish I could see better. I wish I could see Jesus face-to-face. I wish I could see God’s will for a decision I have to make. I wish I could see...

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 35:1-10; John 20:11-18 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” John 20:15 In Isaiah 35 God gives his people a vision of a fully restored creation. His glory will appear, and a desert will turn into a lush, blossoming garden. A “Way...

Scripture Reading — Luke 24:1-8, 36-48 “He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you. . . .” Luke 24:6 I remember walking up to the Grand Canyon in Arizona for the very first time. I thought I knew what to expect since I had heard so much about the Grand Canyon. But then I stepped...

Scripture Reading — Luke 23:50-56 There was a man named Joseph . . . and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Luke 23:50-51 There seems to be a lot of waiting in Scripture. Abraham and Sarah waited for a promised child (Genesis 12-18). The Israelites waited for many years to be...

Scripture Reading — Luke 23:44-49 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. Luke 23:44-45 What do you think of when you hear the word “darkness”? Children often think of darkness as scary, and when they grow up most...

Scripture Reading — Mark 14:12-26 “Take it; this is my body.” . . . and . . . “This is my blood of the covenant . . . poured out for many.” Mark 14:22-24 The Jews of Jesus’ day often told stories from their history. And every year at this time they told the ancient story that is referred to in...

Scripture Reading — John 3:1-21 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3 In today’s text Jesus’ words baffled and amazed Nicodemus the Pharisee: • To experience fully what God is doing, you must be born again. • This...

Scripture Reading — Matthew 21:18-27 “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22 God shows his faithfulness by responding to the prayers of his people. In our reading today, a fig tree that does not bear fruit receives judgment from Jesus. The religious...

Scripture Reading — Matthew 21:12-17 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. Matthew 21:12 Jesus entered Jerusalem and was cheered as a king—but not for long. In the next scene, Jesus went to the temple courts in Jerusalem. And as he looked around...

Scripture Reading — Matthew 21:1-11 This took place to fulfill what was spoken . . . “‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a . . . colt, the foal of a donkey.’” Matthew 21:4-5 God reveals his faithfulness over time. We might not see it right away, for the Lord’s ways are not our...

Scripture Reading — Psalm 145:1-21 One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4 In this month’s devotions we have been looking back on what the Lord—the faithful God—has done. We are also approaching Holy Week, when we remember the finished work of...

Scripture Reading — Psalm 105:1-45 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced. . . . He is the LORD our God. . . . Psalm 105:5-7 We are people who forget. We need reminders, and we need to know that remembering can help us face the future. Psalm 105...