April Devotions: Focusing on the Character of God
Photo by Eliabe Costa
MONDAY
God Is Greater Than We Realize
Exodus 15:11–12 (NLT)
Who is like you among the gods, O Lord—
glorious in holiness,
awesome in splendor,
performing great wonders?
You raised your right hand,
and the earth swallowed our enemies.
Especially right now, we can’t allow fear to tell us that God is small.
The Lord is bigger than any force that could come against us, and He’s powerful, and He absolutely destroys our enemies—the foes attacking us. Our fears will try to tell us how powerful they are and that God can’t do anything against them, but every time that is a lie.
Even when the entire world comes under attack, Exodus 15:11–12 remains true. We can rest in Him and confidently hold to these principles:
No one else is like God.
He is glorious in our lives.
He is extravagantly beautiful.
He performs incredible wonders and miraculous acts.
When He moves, His enemies are vanquished.
Today’s prayer: Father, You are my God! You are the Worker of miracles. You are glorious in my life, and You are doing good things. I expect to see You move all around me, healing people and scattering fear. In the name of Jesus, amen.
May your Monday be blessed, and may your heart know great peace.
TUESDAY
God’s Will for You Is GOOD and PLEASING
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
It’s easy to take our eyes off of Jesus and start to believe what the world says about Him. To believe what is TRUE about Him, we need to renew our minds.
Instead of distrusting the Lord, let’s take a fresh look at how the Bible describes His will. Romans 12:2 says His will is good, pleasing, and perfect. Let those words sink down into your soul.
That is what He is like in your life, and that is what He is like in the world around you! He is worthy of your trust in every possible way.
Today’s prayer: Father, I desire You. I come to You for refuge, knowing You are the only One who can keep me safe. Please help me to truly, deeply realize how good the will of the Lord is toward me. In the name of Jesus, amen.
May your Tuesday be blessed, and this very day, may you see God do awesome things.
WEDNESDAY
God’s “Signature” Is Abundant Life
John 10:10 (NASB)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10 paints a simple, exact picture of God’s character.
The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. That’s what the enemy does—those things are not true of the nature of God. Instead, everything God does is for the purpose of abundant life.
That’s who He is and how He thinks.
Abundant life is how He approaches you and your family.
Abundant life is how He approaches your job and finances.
Abundant life is how He’s dealing with your country and government right now in this time of crisis.
Today’s prayer: Father God, what does “abundant life” mean for me personally? If there are any areas in my life where I can’t see what You are doing, please open my eyes and heart so I can start to understand how much You desire abundant life for me. In the name of Jesus, amen.
May your Wednesday be blessed and your heart be filled with epic peace.
THURSDAY
God’s Word Is Faithfully True
Psalm 91:1, 4 (TPT)
When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai,
you are hidden in the strength of God Most High…
His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you.
You can run under his covering of majesty and hide.
His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.
As the world changes, do you feel protected or exposed?
Whenever you feel anxious, don’t be afraid to run to God and “tuck in” under His shadow. His arms are faithful to keep the darkness at bay, and under His covering you can know peace and perfect safety.
Instead of allowing fear to tell you what’s “real,” plant your feet boldly on God’s Word and declare His truth. Give voice to what the Bible says and not what the enemy is trying to get you to believe.
Even when you feel exposed, you are protected.
Today’s prayer: Father, You are my refuge. I come to You to hide during this time of trial and change. I give You all my fears, and I take refuge in Your protective shadow, where I’m perfectly safe. In the name of Jesus, amen.
May your Thursday be blessed, and may you have the courage to believe what God is telling you!
FRIDAY
God’s Love for You Is PERFECT
1 John 4:18 (NLT)
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
God doesn’t keep a list of the wrong things we’ve done. He doesn’t hold this list over our heads and use it as a threat to make sure we’re doing the right things. In fact, the Bible says that if we’re afraid of being punished, it’s only because we haven’t experienced the perfect love of the Lord.
So many of us are afraid of making mistakes, falling short, and not being good enough. We sort of expect God to hurt us because we know we don’t measure up. But according to 1 John 4:18, that isn’t what He’s like.
This very day:
You are safe in the love of God.
His arms are your forever home.
You can trust Him to be the best Father all the time.
When you repent for something, He forgives you completely. That sin is gone.
There is no list of your shortcomings.
Today’s prayer: Father, please help me to believe You when You say that I am holy and precious in Your sight. Where I’m struggling to forgive myself, help me to look at You and hear Your words. In the name of Jesus, amen.
May your Friday be blessed, and may you know how much you’re loved.
SATURDAY
God Is Close to Those Who Are Suffering
Psalm 34:17–18 (NLT)
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
God is visible in broken situations because He’s close to the brokenhearted. This means that if we’re looking for Him, and our hearts are tender toward Him, we can see Him in special ways even in times of fear or pain.
When we’re in trouble, we can expect to be rescued. We can look around and expect to see our Father close by. Right now, we’re surrounded by signs of His presence and care.
If you’re in mourning, He’s going to comfort you (Matt. 5:4).
If you need help, He hears your voice.
If you feel broken, He is so very close to you.
If you feel crushed, take heart—because He’s coming to rescue you.
Today’s prayer: Father, I declare in faith that You have surrounded me with signs of Your presence and of the tender, powerful ways You’re taking care of my family and me. I choose to believe You, and I look to see these signs. In the name of Jesus, amen.
May your Saturday be blessed, and may you see all the ways God is taking care of you.
SUNDAY
God Will Be Exalted
Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10 is more than just encouragement to rest in God—it is also a promise of what WILL happen in the nations around the world. God WILL BE exalted.
The Old Testament mentions several pagan nations—people who didn’t care for God whatsoever and tried to stop what He was doing. In a manner of speaking, these guys were the worst of the worst—and yet their stories are recorded in Scripture as signs of the greatness of God. That is their history on the earth: that God is great.
The world might feel frightening right now. We’re in the middle of a lot of unknowns—but even here, we can rest in God our Father and know with confidence that He will be exalted in the earth.
Today’s prayer: Jesus, You are the Lord. Your power is greater than my mind can understand. Everything about You is good, and everything You do is good. I know You will be exalted in my nation and in my city! In the name of Jesus, amen.
May your Sunday be blessed, and may you be fearless in all things.
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