Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Explanation:

The New Testament has one major theme outside of the person of Jesus: the endurance of His people through suffering. In the New Testament (and in the Old Testament, too), God’s people endured hardships and persecutions of many kinds. It was not easy to follow Jesus in cultures that were anti-Jesus. So, the writers of the New Testament letters spent a lot of time caring for and encouraging their people to remain faithful amidst struggle, and Paul is doing the same here in Romans.

Paul takes a different twist on it, though. Instead of seeing struggles as just a season to get through, Paul changes the perspective of the church in Rome by asking them to rejoice in their suffering. This sounds counter-intuitive until you hear Paul’s explanation. He says that suffering is the opportunity for growth and greater understanding of God’s love and faithfulness. When the people of God suffer, it is for the purpose of building endurance…when we endure, it produces character (character is really who we are)…and when our lives are saturated with love and trust in God, and we live that out, it produces hope. Then hope leads us back around to the love that Christ has for us, which fuels our ability to endure suffering.

And so, as you walk through difficult times…rejoice, because your pain has purpose, and the Spirit of God has been given to you.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stands out to you in today’s passage?

2. How does this shift in perspective, as Paul describes in this passage, change how you think about your struggles?

3. Is there something you are struggling through right now that is hard for you to think about rejoicing in? Talk to God about this in prayer today.

Prayer Prompt:

Father, pain is hard to see through. When I hurt and when I struggle, it is really hard not to simply focus on what I feel. But I pray You would help me to see You in my struggles. Help me to hold tight to the promises You have made to me. Help me to walk in the hope that you are using my pain so I can grow in my faith and as a person. Use my struggle to bring about good in my life and the lives of others. And help me to remember that no matter what I suffer…You walked this road before me. In Your precious name, amen.

Devo Plus:

• Read 1 Peter 4:12-19.

Isaiah 41:8-10 (ESV)

"But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Explanation:

Difficult times. We all endure them, and in a unique way, they seem to unite us as people. I’m always moved by the beauty of unity. I think it’s because I see unity as an attribute of our heavenly Father. But even uniting together can only help us so much. When it comes to enduring difficult times, we need a much bigger force to anchor our ships and keep us afloat in the waves…God and His Word. Isaiah 41:8-10 is a special anchor verse to me. You see, I came from a tumultuous childhood. From a young age, I endured depression that followed me into my young adult life. I had good friends who would rally with me, keep me busy, keep me positive…but the strange thing about depression was how it made me feel alone, even in a crowd of people. The darkness just had a way of settling in. But then God used Isaiah 41 to turn on the light. I remember one evening, crying from a dark place, and I asked God, “If this is abundant life, what’s the point?!” At the same time, I thought, “If I were to walk away from God, where would I go?” I knew deep down that He was who He said. So, I grabbed my Bible that was sitting on the floor by my bed, and it flopped open to Isaiah 41:8-10. It felt like God was speaking it over me. And the light came on.

In hard times, you HAVE to remember that God chose you. You believe, because He came after you. He called your name. And because you are chosen by God and He calls you His child, you have to hear Him say, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” You have to hear Him say it louder than your fear. You have to hear Him say it louder than your circumstances. You have to hear Him say it louder than what the world is shouting. And you have to BELIEVE it. Trust in the fact that He called you, enabled you, keeps you, and fights for you. Cling to it, like He clings to you. He will strengthen, help, and uphold you. It’s His promise.

Application:

1. Look back over your life, and make a list of the times you’ve undeniably seen God come after you.

2. Continue the list with the times good things have come your way that you didn’t deserve.

3. Finish your list with the repercussions that should have come your way, but didn’t.

4. Thank God for all of these, one by one. All this was God coming after you. All this was God graciously reaching out to you. Thank Him that He is for you, He has and will rescue you, He has called you by name.

Prayer Prompt:

Holy Father, You are like none other. Your ways are not our ways, and your thoughts are not our thoughts. You see the end from the beginning, and You hold all things together. Help us to trust You. Please shine Your light in our dark places. Fill us with Your hope and peace as we lean into Your promises of peace, love, and provision. Help us to cling to You and to endure. We ask it in the capable name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Devo Plus:

• Read the following verses:

• 1 Peter 2:9 (You are chosen and set apart)

• Romans 8:28 (He works all things for good)

• Psalm 139:5 (He hems us in and goes before us)

Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Explanation:

Two common difficulties that we all face at some point are difficulties outside of our control, and difficulties we inflict on ourselves. Both of them equally require us to suit up and endure the travail that we face. Today’s reading applies to both types of difficulties, but more so to the ones we can inflict on ourselves. The difficulties we inflict on ourselves are most often directly related to our sin. We cause ourselves such grief and damage when we choose to walk in sin. Sin can cause unnecessary difficulty in our lives, but it is our response to sin that matters most. When we sin, we can either choose to turn to God in our weakness or choose to turn from God in our weakness. Turning from God is such a disastrous response because this can drive us deeper and deeper into a world of difficulty.

However, as we read today, if we choose to turn toward God in the weakness of our sin, we are met by Jesus, who sits on a throne of grace. This grace isn’t permission to go back into a life of sinning; it’s permission to go back to rightly living for Him again. What a great comfort it is to know we have Jesus, who accomplished the very thing we strive for in our lives…a life without sin, even in the face of temptation. In all seasons of difficulty, we must turn to God, whose presence can strengthen us in ways we can never imagine. But especially, my friends, turn to God in your sinfulness and approach Him with confidence, knowing He can restore and renew you in His love.

Application:

1. What is a common response of yours when you sin? Where do you turn?

2. Why is turning to God in the difficulties we have created with our sin better than not turning to Him?

3. What is significant about the “throne of grace” that Jesus sits on?

4. How do we approach God when we have sinned?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, my Savior, I have sinned, but in You I know there is forgiveness and grace. I do not want to view this grace as an opportunity to sin more, but a freedom to keep moving forward in loving You better. Thank You for sitting on a throne of grace and letting me approach You every day.

Devo Plus:

Read Hebrews 9. Compare and contrast the old system for sacrifice vs. the new one in Christ.

Romans 6:3-11 (ESV)

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Explanation:

Jesus Christ died for our sin, so we can be in relationship with a Holy God. Once we have put our faith in Jesus, we will live forever in His presence. The moment we say we can’t do it on our own, and trust God’s provision, is our salvation. Our “old self” is gone and we are changed. That means we will act and look different to everyone, even people who knew our “old selves.” The sin that kept us from God no longer has separated us. This is good news, and we should celebrate the fact that we are no longer a slave to our sin.

When we are baptized with water, we are submerged, allowing the water to flow over us. Being submerged in water is like the burial of Jesus, and rising from the water is like the resurrection of Jesus. It is a way to take part in a newness of life.

Paul, the writer of this letter, states that “just as Christ was raised from the dead,” we too will take part in the resurrection. When the time comes, and we die a physical death, our spirit will be alive and will live eternally with our Creator God. Death has nothing on Jesus because He died once for everyone, and was raised three days later. Jesus literally conquered death and the wages of sin for us! Jesus is the answer.

Application:

1. Do you still struggle with a past decision you have made that was unwise or sinful? If so, surrender it to Jesus. Know that you are different, and not your “old self” you were before. Our sin was taken to the cross with Jesus.

2. Reflect on the resurrection of Jesus, who He was, and what He ultimately did for us.

3. Have you ever been water baptized? If not, what is holding you back?

Prayer Prompt:

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending your Son Jesus to the cross, to take our sin and the power that death had on us. Search my heart today. Show me the things that are holding me back from You, and then give me the strength to change. Help me to listen to the things You are calling me to do, even when they are hard. I believe that one day I will walk with You in resurrection. I love You, Father. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen.

Devo Plus:

Watch the YouTube video or listen to the song No Longer Slaves by Bethel Music. Allow the words to speak to you, and reassure you that you are a child of God.

1 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

Explanation:

Peter is writing to a church burdened by persecution. Many were facing cultural rejection and possibly even imprisonment and death on top of already difficult living circumstances. Following Jesus was adding to the troubles many believers in Peter’s audience already faced. Peter wanted to remind them why they should keep walking through these troubles while staying faithful to Jesus. He reminds the believers that Jesus’s resurrection ushered in a new promise for a new kind of reward. A reward that cannot be taken away even by death itself. The call of Jesus to follow Him is an invitation to be born into a new kind of life, to be born into an inheritance of life with God’s provision, presence, and continuous favor.

Application:

1. What is one thing that stands out to you in today’s passage?

2. When things get difficult, is it tempting to choose the easy path over the hard path? Why do you think that is?

3. Has there been an element of following Jesus that has made your life more difficult? Is it tempting in that moment to choose the easier way?

4. What does the promise of an inheritance in Jesus look like for you? How can you use that to help you stay faithful in difficult times?

Prayer Prompt:

Father, Jesus’s resurrection changed everything. No longer do we need to live for a blessing from You just here on this earth. We can trust that You have in store for us a blessing that continues beyond death…a renewed existence, a new life, a life with You that nothing can take away from us. Help us to hold onto You when that’s difficult, and trust that You will sustain us.

Devo Plus:

Read John 11:25-26; Revelation 21 and Romans 8.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (ESV)

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Explanation:

Jesus is alive! Paul wants the people of Corinth to understand that Jesus’s death was real. Jesus died, just like it was recorded in the Scriptures and preached to them. His death was real, and it was because of our sin. But Paul wants them (and all of us) to know that it didn’t end with death. Jesus rose from the grave on the third day, and then was seen by hundreds of eyewitnesses afterward! The same men who walked with Jesus and taught with Him also watched him die. When they saw Him resurrected, they knew He was the real Jesus!

It didn’t end with the disciples, though. The Bible tells us that Jesus made Himself known to more than 500 men, all in the same spot, at the same time. There was no mistaking who or what they had seen, and they would go on to tell others that they had seen the risen Christ. Paul emphasized that most of the 500 who saw Jesus were still alive at the time Paul was writing this book, and they could uphold his teaching.

Application:

1. How does this passage reaffirm for you that Jesus is alive?

2. While it is true that our beliefs today are faith-based, they are also evidence-based. Our decision to follow Jesus is based on the same things that science uses to make conclusions: We have documented evidence that a crucified and risen savior appeared to a massive crowd after three days in the grave.

3. When you have doubt, anxiety, or confusion, are you able to rejoice? It is so important to remind ourselves that there is an army of angels in heaven celebrating and praising our risen Lord. When these distractions come your way, remind yourself that you have the “secret sauce;” your faith in Jesus conquers all these earthly challenges.

Prayer Prompt:

Ask God to help us be reminded in our daily lives that Jesus is alive. Allow this knowledge to conquer every doubt, fear, and unknown that we all currently face.

Devo Plus:

There were others who saw the risen Jesus. Read about the women Jesus appeared to, who were the first to witness him alive, in Mark 16:1-8 and Luke 24:1-10.

Perhaps my story is like a lot of yours. I grew up with parents who fought both verbally and physically. Unfortunately, many of my childhood memories are of that: fights and 911 calls, police at the door. And the yelling…all the yelling. Sometime in middle school, I was prescribed medicine for the way my nerves affected my stomach, and by the age of 10, I was depressed. I never wanted to end my life but…I just didn’t have the energy to be awake anymore. But then Jesus stepped in.

A friend invited me to stay with her during a particularly rough time, and as a biproduct, I ended up going to church with her and her family. It was at a youth bonfire that a pastor made a plea to us. and of all the things he said, the offer of unconditional love grabbed me. Heart pounding, I asked Christ to have me. But the truth is, God didn’t step in that night at the bonfire. The truth is, He had been with me all along. I may have accepted His offer of redemption that night, but His offer of redemption had been available since the cross. I just had to make the choice to be redeemed. I had to put aside all doubt and choose to believe Him at His word...to believe His resurrection. It’s like Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can't be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world (1 Corinthians 15:14–19, NLT).”

But the beauty of Easter is that our faith is proved real! And so, instead of continuing as pitied, I can live abundantly! Because Christ indeed rose, we have every reason to believe God and to savor the blessings we enjoy today, because they are only a taste of so much more to come. The resurrection of Jesus is our promise that the life we live is not in vain. We have significance in Him, both now and forever. Jesus's triumph over death gives us the courage to endure all earthly tragedies: the childhoods we had, the mistakes we’ve made, the wrong that has been done by us or to us, the events that leave a mark. Because Jesus paid for us, redeemed us, those things don’t have to poison us. His victory over the final evil, death, assures us that nothing is too dead for Him to revive. And He is powerful enough to turn our mourning into dancing, our burdens into hope for others. Jesus IS my redemption story.

Acts 2:22-36 (ESV)

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore, my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Explanation:

In today’s reading, we see Peter, the man who had denied even knowing Christ, now filled with the Holy Spirit, and likewise a zealousness that fueled his passion to tell everyone around him about the gospel message. Listen to the language he uses when he says such things as “with confidence” he saw the Lord resurrected. This is a man who has put it all together. He has connected the dots…all that Jesus said and all that He did had been completed, just as God designed it. This meant that a whole new life was available not only to Peter, but to everyone who believes it be to true as well.

One of Jesus’s final acts while on this earth was to reassure us of His power and love. This would be a resounding truth in our hearts and minds that our faith in Jesus is completely legit. This is something we can look to during times when we, like Peter, need reminded again that living for Christ is the best way. Let us look now to the resurrection for hope and new life.

Application:

1. Why was Peter a changed man after the resurrection of Jesus?

2. How does Jesus’s resurrection give you hope every day to live for Christ?

3. How has the gospel come alive in you, like it did Peter?

Prayer Prompt:

Jesus, Your resurrection is the promise of new life for me and all who choose to follow You. I pray that the resurrection is more than just a story to me. I pray that, like Peter, I too can be a changed person, and live my life in the way You have designed it.

Devo Plus:

Read Psalm 16:8-11. How did Jesus fulfill this prophesy, spoken by David?

Luke 24:36-49 (NLT)

And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

“Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched.

Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

Explanation:

Jesus’s resurrected body wasn’t a figment of the disciples’ imagination. They touched Him and ate food with Him. On the other hand, His body wasn’t merely a restored human body like Lazarus’s (John 11). He was able to appear and disappear. Jesus’s resurrected body was immortal. This is the kind of body we will be given at the resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:42-50).

Jesus references the Old Testament because it pointed to the Messiah. Jesus supernaturally opened the disciples’ minds to understand what He had taught them, what He had done, and what had been accomplished. Then Jesus reminded them that the Father had promised them power from on high…the Holy Spirit.

Application:

1. If the disciples had traveled with Jesus for three years, heard him teach firsthand, and had witnessed all the miracles He did, why did He have to open their understanding?

2. How does this give you hope, knowing if you ask, the Holy Spirit will reveal things beyond your mere human knowing?

3. We don’t have physical Jesus with us today, so we get to know Him through the Bible. How would your Bible reading time change if you began asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand difficult passages and to help you know Jesus deeper?

4. I love that the first thing Jesus said to the disciples was, “Peace be with you.” They had floundered through His death and resurrection, and He knows they need peace above all. He offers the same peace to us today in our scattered and tattered world. It is an offer we have to accept.

Prayer Prompt:

Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son. Jesus, we are beyond grateful for the gift of salvation, given to us through Your death and resurrection. Holy Spirit, we need Your comfort and peace in ways we never fathomed. Fill us with Your power and Your wisdom, and give us divine revelation as we read the Word and apply it to our lives. Transform us through the renewing of our minds. We ask this in Jesus’s powerful name!

Devo Plus:

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) (Ephesians 2:4-5, NLT)

John 20:1-18 (ESV)

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Explanation:

Can you just imagine how the disciples and Mary felt in this moment? Jesus had been dead for three days. Mary shows up at the tomb, and the stone is rolled away. Jesus isn’t there. The disciples come and experience the same thing…an empty tomb. They didn’t realize it at this moment, but they were the first ones to experience this incredible miracle. Jesus had done exactly what He said He was going to do. He died, He took on the sins of the world, but three days later He was resurrected. The tomb is empty, He is not there!! My friends, this is the best news ever! This is why we no longer fear death, because we know that we too will one day be resurrected with Christ. The tomb is empty…now that is something to celebrate. Jesus is alive!

Application:

1. What is one thing that stands out to you in today’s passage?

2. How do you think you would have responded if you were in Mary’s shoes on this day?

3. What does the resurrection story mean to you personally?

Prayer Prompt:

God, we cannot thank You enough for Your redemptive story. You had a plan in place to redeem us the whole time. Thank you for loving us enough to send Jesus to die for our sins, but then to rise again, reminding us that we too will rise with You once our time on this earth comes to an end. Thank You for everything You have done for us. We love You. Amen.

Devo Plus:

Check out Matthew’s account of the resurrection in Matthew 28:1-9.