DAY 1

Each of us has opportunities to make choices based on love for others, on wanting to help humankind. Each day, we can do kind deeds. When we choose to take the time to stop and help someone in need, when we show love and concern for someone hurting, when we give of what we have, we become more loving.

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. (John 13:34, NLT)

DAY 2

Sometimes it can be difficult to do the right thing, especially when the person you're dealing with hasn't done right to you, but I didn't say, "Do to others as they do to you." My code for living is far above that normal perception of fairness. I want you to live on a higher plane. Anyone can be nice to those who are nice, but the person who can be nice to those who aren't is the bigger person and more blessed by Me.—Jesus

Do for others what you would want them to do for you.  (Matthew 7:12, ERV)

DAY 3

Through His children, God is trying to show the world what He is like. Jesus came to love the world, and He calls us to do likewise in every facet of life. No matter where we are from, if we have Jesus, we are now His ambassadors and represent the King of kings, the One who runs the universe.

As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. (John 20:21, NLT)

DAY 4

Because I rose from the dead, I am even more alive and active today than I was when I walked the earth. I am alive today in each heart that welcomes Me. I am active and at work, always renewing, restoring, and replenishing, making everything better and more beautiful whenever I am given a chance. Let Me live in you! – Jesus

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT)

DAY 5

Jesus knows you're not perfect and never will be—and He loves you just the same! When He forgave you for your sins, He not only forgave your past sins but your present sins and those you will yet commit as well.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1, NLT)

DAY 6

The divine, supernatural, miraculous, infinite, marvelous love of God is love enough to forgive! God's mercy is endless, from everlasting to everlasting. His love and mercy and forgiveness and salvation never end. He never stops loving us, no matter what we do. He never rejects us or withdraws His love. He always has hope for us no matter how far we've strayed.

[God] does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. (Psalm 103:10-11, NLT).

DAY 7

He loves you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell. You can never understand the love of God. It's too great; it passes all understanding. You just have to receive it and feel it with your heart.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. (Ephesians 3:19, NLT)

DAY 8

God loves you! He is your kind and loving heavenly Father who personally loves you, His own dear child, and you are in His hands. He has made this beautiful world as a home for you to live in and enjoy, and He has lovingly given you a wonderful body, mind, and heart with which to enjoy it.

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. (James 1:17-18, NLT)

DAY 9

Sad to say, some people have gotten the idea that God is some kind of monster who follows them around with a big stick, always ready to clobber them! But the Bible says that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). He is loving and forgiving, and the only reason He follows anyone around is in hopes that they will turn around to meet Him, so He can receive them in His open arms!

For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54:10, NLT)

DAY 10

The miracle of Easter is that because Jesus didn't remain in the grave, we don't have to, either. He took that payment for us, and then rose to a new life. And His new life can be inside us, giving us hope and peace, as we are filled with His love.

Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. (Colossians 1:27, NLT)

DAY 11

Every time you look up to Me, I am there. I never get tired of listening to you. I never turn away. I never sleep. I never hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on My door. Sometimes I don’t answer in the way you ask Me to or think I should, and sometimes you don’t see the answer immediately, but I always hear and I always answer. – Jesus

When you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. (Isaiah 58:9, NLT)

DAY 12

Help us never to forget your love, but to dwell therein whatever we do, whether we sleep or wake, live or die, or rise again to the life that is to come. For your love is eternal life and everlasting rest. O let its flame never be quenched in our hearts; let it grow and brighten, until our whole souls are glowing and shining with its light and warmth.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. (1 John 4:16, NLT)

DAY 13

Dear Jesus, sometimes I feel like the storms of life are overwhelming me, yet You promise I can find refuge in You. Help me to grow in faith, secure in the knowledge that there is never a moment when I am not overshadowed by Your love.

Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9, NLT)

DAY 14

Dear Lord, You teach me how to be a friend to others by always being there for me. You care about how things are going in my life, looking past my failings and assuring me of Your love in countless ways. May I also be a good friend to You, always reserving a place for You in my heart. I look forward to being with You for eternity, as You promised:

When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am (John 14:3, NLT)

DAY 15

This is the good news of the Gospel: the love that God has for each individual, the offer of everlasting life, of resurrection from the dead, of being a new creature in Christ Jesus today and a part of the overall new creation for eternity.

I am the resurrection. I am life. Everyone who believes in me will have life, even if they die. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never really die. (John 11:25-26, ERV)

DAY 16

All of us sin, and each of us falls short of the glory of God. Like the unforgiving servant, we each owe a huge debt to God—a debt so large that none of us can ever repay it. Through Jesus, God forgives that debt; but He also calls us to forgive others in like manner.

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (Colossians 3:13, NLT)

DAY 17

I love you from everlasting to everlasting. Listen to My voice in your heart, and I will show you My great, great love for you—a love that is greater than the ocean, that stretches further than the horizon, that the whole universe with all its stars and galaxies cannot contain, love that stretches beyond understanding into infinity and eternity! - Jesus

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. (Lamentations 3:22, NLT)

DAY 18

Jesus bids us shine with a clear, pure light,
Like a little candle burning in the night;
In this world of darkness, we must shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.

You are the light that shines for the world to see…Live so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16 ERV)

DAY 19

O Christ, the keeper of us all, Let Thy right hand guard and protect me day and night, when I rest at home, when I walk in my work abroad, when I lie down and when I rise up, that I may not anywhere fail. I commit my whole being unto Thee; take charge of me; provide for all my real needs, from this moment forth and always.

The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. (Psalm 121:7, NLT)

DAY 20

Where love is at work, there I am at work. It's human nature to look out for yourself first, to be selfish, even demanding, and to expect to be treated well by others before you treat them well. But it is My way to give. Doing something kind and generous for someone else often takes effort, and yet each time you do it, you realize that it's the best way to live. – Jesus

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7, NLT)

DAY 21

When you're doing something kind for someone, it doesn't just benefit them, it also benefits you. The happiness that comes through kind and caring and generous actions is not a light or frivolous satisfaction or pleasure; it's a much deeper feeling of fulfillment. You are letting My Spirit of love into the world around you, into the lives of others, and into your own life. – Jesus

Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands—more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you. (Luke 6:38, ERV)

DAY 22

Let's show others that Jesus is alive by letting them see His Spirit in us, by letting them hear His words through our words, and by letting them experience Him through our loving actions, compassion, and empathy. Let's show them He is alive by helping them connect with Him.

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Romans 10:15, KJV)

DAY 23

Everyone has influence. Moment by moment your attitude and level of happiness are reflected in the little things you say and do, and those are bound to affect others. Think of the things people have done that made your day, and make a point of doing those same things for others. Not only will you brighten someone else’s day, but you will also find that you are happier.

Always be filled with joy in the Lord [and] let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. (Philippians 4:4-5, ERV)

DAY 24

Don’t underestimate the small things you can do: the smile that can cheer someone’s heart, the little word that can be an encouragement, the tract that can convey Jesus’ love, the little offering to God’s work. He uses some of the smallest things as tools to have great impact on the lives of others.

Do not despise these small beginnings. (Zechariah 4:10, NLT)

DAY 25

If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, He will make peace within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27, KJV)

DAY 26

One of the most marvelous things about the gift of salvation is that once you have received Jesus into your heart, He is there to stay. He has come into your life, and He will be with you forever. Jesus has said that He will never leave you nor forsake you, and that He will be with you always, even to the end of the world. There is nothing you could ever say or do that would nullify these wonderful promises.

I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20, NLT)

DAY 27

God is love, and He is not willing that any should perish. Each person is a unique individual, created by God in His own image, and God loves each one as if they were the only one. Each person is someone Jesus died to save. He loves every single man, woman, and child, no matter who they are, where they live, what color their skin is.

He [God] doesn’t want anyone to be lost.  (2 Peter 3:9, ERV)

DAY 28

Being a Christian means doing what we can to be like Jesus. We will never be perfect and without sin as Jesus was, of course, but as Jesus' followers we are supposed to try to resemble Him in the way we live our lives and interact with others.

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3;16 NLT)

DAY 29

Dear God, fill me with Your Spirit, compassion, and love, so I can speak as You would. Better yet, I ask that You will speak to people through me. May Your gentle words of love, Your understanding, care, concern, and truth flow through me as Your channel, from Your heart to theirs.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come. (Luke 4:18-19, NLT)

DAY 30

My love is patient and understanding. My love is tender and kind. My love gives faith and courage in place of fear, hope in place of despair. My love is light and drives away the darkness. My love will descend to any depth to save, go to any length to rescue. My love knows no stopping place. My love can overcome any problem, no matter how insurmountable it might seem.

My love is My special gift to you. It has always been there for you, and always will be. - Jesus

I will never fail you. I will never abandon you. (Hebrews 13:5, NLT)

DAY 31

You may not feel you have much to offer. But we all can do our part. Like the boy who gave his lunch to Jesus because he thought it would help others. And it did—in a far greater way than he could have ever imagined! What Jesus accomplished through the boy’s offering that day probably affected his and others’ lives forever.

A little child will lead them. (Isaiah 11:6, NLT)

DAY 32

God’s patience never wears thin when we fumble and stumble or wander off into troubles. He is attuned to every detail of your life and my life, and He’s committed to us forever.

I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. (Jeremiah 31:3, KJV)

DAY 33

As we forget ourselves and focus on meeting the needs of others and making them happy, we become conduits of God’s love to those people. And as we pour out, God pours into us.

Some people give freely and gain more; others refuse to give and end up with less. Give freely, and you will profit. (Proverbs 11:24-15, ERV)

DAY 34

You don't need to worry about whether or not you are going to lose your salvation or how you are going to manage to stay saved, because eternal salvation by grace means once saved, always saved. Once you've received Jesus Christ as your Savior, there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it—you are a saved child of God!

Anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. (John 3:36, NLT)

DAY 35

Anybody can get free entrance to heaven. Anybody can be taken into the arms of love and receive the joy, fulfillment, and everlasting love that God wants to give each of us, both here and in the life to come—and that includes you. It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter where you've been or what you've done. It doesn't matter how good or how bad you are, because none of us can be good enough to earn a place in heaven. It is a gift of God.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT)

DAY 36

You are God and man, king and servant. You left Your throne of immortality and encased Yourself in human flesh. You became one of us, so that You could save us. Joy floods my heart when I think of how You quietly and humbly came into our world and changed it forever.

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13, NLT)

DAY 37

Through Christ's suffering on the cross, God has made provision not only for the salvation of humankind, but also for the healing of physical infirmities. God not only can heal you, but He wants to heal you. He's more willing to give than we are to receive.

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5, KJV)

DAY 38

Because of what Jesus did, we know that all He said is true: that we have salvation and eternal life, that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, that we have the promise of answered prayer, that He will guide us when we ask Him to. The separation between us and God has been bridged. We are His children, who will live with Him forever.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.  This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:9-10, NLT)

DAY 39

All that Jesus did during His time on earth revealed His Father’s love, care, and concern for humanity. It is through the Incarnate Word, Jesus, that we gain a deeper understanding of God, as well as of His desire to reconcile humanity to Himself. At Easter, we celebrate that God entered our world for the purpose of making it possible for us to live with Him eternally.

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (John 1:14, NLT)

DAY 40

Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. It's a celebration of His defeat of death and hell and Satan. Jesus redeemed us from our sins. He lived and loved and died for us as individuals, and He's with us today in spirit just as much as He was with those He walked beside two millennia ago.

It is by [God’s] great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3, NLT)

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Text copyright Activated magazine. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (ERV) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: EASY-TO-READ VERSION © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center, Inc. and used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Bible; in public domain.

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Text Credits:

Page 1: Adapted from the Roadmap series of Christian leadership articles `

Page 2: Jesus, speaking in prophecy

Page 3: D.B. Berg

Page 4: Jesus, speaking in prophecy

Page 5: Author unknown

Page 6: D.B. Berg

Page 7: D.B. Berg

Page 8: Author unknown

Page 9: Author unknown

Page 10: D.B. Berg

Page 11: Jesus, speaking in prophecy

Page 12: Prayer of Johann Arndt (1551–1621), adapted

Page 13: Author unknown

Page 14: Author unknown

Page 15: Peter Amsterdam

Page 16: Peter Amsterdam

Page 17: Jesus, speaking in prophecy

Page 18: “Jesus Bids Us Shine,” by Susan B. Warner (1868)

Page 19: Saint Nerses (4th century)

Page 20: Jesus, speaking in prophecy

Page 21: Jesus, speaking in prophecy

Page 22: Peter Amsterdam

Page 23: Jesus, speaking in prophecy

Page 24: Maria Fontaine

Page 25: Thomas Watson (c. 1620–1686)

Page 26: Author unknown

Page 27: Author unknown

Page 28: Peter Amsterdam

Page 29: Peter Amsterdam

Page 30: Jesus, speaking in prophecy

Page 31: Maria Fontaine

Page 32: Maria Fontaine

Page 33: Alex Peterson

Page 34: D.B. Berg

Page 35: Maria Fontaine

Page 36: Author unknown

Page 37: D.B. Berg

Page 38: Peter Amsterdam

Page 39: Peter Amsterdam

Page 40: Peter Amsterdam