APRIL 13.

MAGNIFIED TO BE GLORIFIED.

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let such as love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!"

PSALM 40:16.

WHEN WE VALUE SOMETHING, we want everybody to see what we see in it. A musician turns up the volume, gets bigger speakers, and blows the doors off at a concert! A gallery owner selects just the right frame for a beautiful painting and then puts it in the perfect setting in the shop, with the right light to show the artist's creative flair. A jeweler cuts a diamond to maximize the weight and brilliance of the stone and then puts it on a background of black velvet to magnify its l.u.s.ter.

In the same way, we "magnify" people's perceptions of G.o.d when we portray Him as wonderful, beautiful, and awesome. We may carefully orchestrate our words, or we may spontaneously shout our praise for G.o.d. Either way, our delight in His magnificent greatness and goodness and our amazement that He loves us so much show others how awesome He is.

But that's not all that happens. Have you ever watched someone who has shown you something wonderful or beautiful? Something happens in the hearts of those who magnify music, art, a diamond, or anything else they treasure. They are transformed by praising it. Their love for the musician, artist, craftsman, or creator grows, and their loyalty soars.

When we magnify G.o.d, we give Him the praise for which He is completely worthy, and as we praise Him, our love for Him grows.

Describe something beautiful or wonderful that you treasure.

What happens in our hearts as we magnify G.o.d?

"I feel it is far better to begin with G.o.d, to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it is near another."-E. M. BOUNDS

APRIL 14.

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.

Blessed is he who considers the poor; the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

PSALM 41:1.

IT'S TECHNICALLY CALLED "the law of the harvest," but we commonly say "What goes around comes around" to refer to the law of reaping what we sow. We see the effects of this "law" every day. When we're angry and snap at people, they often snap back at us. (What a surprise!) When we help someone, the one we helped sometimes comes to our rescue when we are in need.

In this verse, though, the law of the harvest takes on a different twist. When we give to someone who is poor, that person can't pay us back, but blessings seem to come our way from out of the blue. It's G.o.d. He's the One who sees what we've done and takes care of us in return. That's like Him. Jesus said that it's no big deal to give to those who can give back to us (see Luke 14:12-14). The really big deal is to give to those who can't repay us. He loves that!

Who are the poor around us? Most of us have spent a small fortune buying homes in nice neighborhoods to protect our families from poor people. When we encounter them on drives through their parts of town, we hardly notice them-or worse, we make fun of them.

They're there, and they're real people with real needs and real hopes and dreams. First, G.o.d wants us to consider them, to imagine what their lives are like so that we learn to genuinely care. When we care, we'll find a way to take action.

Consider the poor. Who are they? What are their lives like?

What is one thing you can do to care for one of them?

"G.o.d's boomerang of blessing occurs when we do something for someone else who can do absolutely nothing for us in return."-IKE REIGHARD

APRIL 15.

TURNING A CAREER INTO A CALLING.

Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

COLOSSIANS 3:23-24.

WHY DO WE GO TO WORK each day? Most of us get out of bed and head to the office for a number of good reasons: to provide for our families, to use our G.o.d-given abilities, and to enjoy interaction, creativity, and success. But when we face the inevitable difficulties of an unreasonable boss, a downturn in the economy, a heavy workload, or genuine failure, where can we find our motivation?

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul gives instructions to husbands, wives, fathers, and children. Then he turns his attention to another segment of society: slaves (see Colossians 3:18-22). If any group has cause to complain and be discouraged, it's slaves. They are asked to do the most but are given the least praise. Paul doesn't tell them just to work harder. He goes far beyond that, encouraging them to do their tedious, menial work "heartily," with real enthusiasm as they remember that they are working first for G.o.d Himself, not their human masters. But Paul also a.s.sures them that G.o.d will eventually reward their honest work. They may not see these rewards "today," but like an overperforming 401(k), someday the results will be thrilling!

We can get out of bed each day with the a.s.surance that we are working for the Lord and that our good att.i.tude and hard work will be richly rewarded-if not by our employers now, they will be someday by the G.o.d of the universe. That perspective changes our motivation and att.i.tude at work!

What difference would it make for you to realize that you are working primarily for Christ, not for your boss or your company?

What needs to happen in your thoughts, att.i.tudes, and actions to reflect this perspective?

"May he who is highest serve best."-ROBERT THIBODEAU "We fear not because, when we put on the whole armor of truth and hide behind Jesus Christ, we know in Whom we've believed and we are secure in that belief. We then will serve without fear, and our effectiveness and productivity increase greatly."-ZIG ZIGLAR

APRIL 16.

RUNNING OVER.

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

LUKE 6:38.

JESUS' MOST FAMOUS MESSAGE, the Sermon on the Mount, is a beautiful message about Kingdom living (see 6:20-49). Those who trust in G.o.d, Jesus tells us, exhibit the life of G.o.d in their att.i.tudes, actions, and relationships-in opposition to how the world normally works. He tells us to love those who don't love us, to do good to those who hurt us, and to give to those who can't or won't pay us back. It's revolutionary stuff!

On an intensely personal level, Jesus gives four promises in the form of two "don'ts" and two "dos": Don't judge people and you won't be judged, don't condemn and you won't be condemned, forgive and you'll be forgiven, and give and you'll receive (see 6:37-38). We often look at the promise of giving in isolation, but it's in every aspect of Kingdom life.

Trusting G.o.d transforms us inside and out. As our behavior toward others changes, He promises to pour-not trickle, not dab on, not squeeze out a drop or two-His blessings on us. Our trust in G.o.d's ability to provide for us results in our giving generously to G.o.d and His causes. Then, G.o.d opens the storehouses of heaven to bless us. How much? Jesus couldn't have been more expressive: It's so much that it has to be packed in, and it still runs over the top!

If we are stingy, we won't enjoy giving the little we give, and G.o.d withholds His abundant blessings. But if we give generously and joyfully, we'd better look out!

Many people say the t.i.the (10 percent) is the "training wheels" of giving. Do you agree or disagree?

What motivates you to give to G.o.d and His work? What about G.o.d would you need to know and trust in order for you to give even more?

"I can testify that the Lord is as good as His Word, that if we trust and believe and bring our t.i.thes into the storehouse, He will 'pour out His blessings' of all kinds, including financial."-ZIG ZIGLAR

APRIL 17.

WHAT'S IN YOUR BOX?

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve G.o.d and mammon.

MATTHEW 6:24.

AT THE STORE, a father gave his son an empty box and said, "Son, you can have anything you want, but you can have only one thing. Make a good choice." In a sense, G.o.d gives each of us the same opportunity. A million things compete for our affections and our attention, but only one can be on the throne of our hearts.

All these things make promises. Some promise to give us pleasure, some promise to thrill us, some promise to give us a status that will impress people, and some promise to help us escape pain. We hear voices whispering or shouting these promises all the time. Conversations at work, ads on television and billboards, chats with friends, and all other forms of communication promise to fulfill our dreams. All these things are like competing hawkers at a flea market, trying to convince us to come to their tent to buy what they're selling.

But we can choose only one thing to put in our box.

Amid the din of all these voices, we have to listen hard to hear another voice that says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6) and offers us an adventure and an abundant life-if we allow this thing in our box.

What are you putting in your box?

Identify some of the competing voices and their promises in your life.

What have you had in your box in the past year or so? What are you putting in your box now?

"Whatever you choose to serve becomes that which you worship."-IKE REIGHARD

APRIL 18.

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE A REALITY.

Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.

MATTHEW 8:13.

ON A FEW OCCASIONS, Jesus was astonished by someone's faith in Him. In this case, a G.o.d-fearing Roman centurion asked Jesus to heal his sick servant. Jesus told the centurion that He'd go to his home to heal the man, but the soldier replied, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed" (Matthew 8:8).

Jesus had been among the Jewish people as he taught and healed. Some had believed, but many doubted. The leaders among His own race felt particularly threatened, and they later plotted to kill Him. But here was a Roman officer who believed that Jesus' power was so immense that He didn't even have to see or touch his servant to heal. His faith amazed Jesus.

What did the Roman see in Christ that others didn't see? Why was his faith so strong? The centurion explained that he understood the nature of authority because he exercised it in the military world (see Matthew 8:9). His experience gave him insight into G.o.d's authority, so the centurion felt sure that Jesus had authority to heal his servant-or do anything else, for that matter-from a distance.

In each of our lives, G.o.d has given us experiences to help us to believe Him more fully. For some, it's authority; for others, it's mercy and kindness. All of us can look for patterns of past experience that strengthen present faith.

Do you have a great respect for authority or perhaps a deep appreciation for grace and kindness? Describe it.