Better Than Life

Wednesday, April 22,2026

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-the knowledge of Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Fill my consciousness constantly and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: Joshua 1:9

9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Verse of the day- Romans 1:20

20 “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

 Today’s reading: 2 Samuel 14-15 Luke 17:1-19

Better Than Life

(Psalm 63:3 “Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you.”)

One writer said this:

“Loving your enemy doesn’t earn you the reward of heaven. Treasuring the reward of heaven empowers you to love your enemy.”

Jesus said, “44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...”

Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus despised the shame of the cross-His physical suffering was literally killing Him-but He knew that He could not let His human feelings change anything that was happening to Him.

He concentrated on the joy of Heaven-being restored to His original glory and in doing so providing salvation for believers through the ages and bringing God and man back together.

Part of that joy, I believe, is seeing the future believers who really ‘heard’ and learned and are still learning how to love their enemies.

The fury of hate had attacked the body of Christ-mortal shame had attacked His emotions. Crushing emotions and His dying, physical body could not steal His joy nor keep Him from loving and forgiving His killers.

If Jesus had let His situation overcome His joy, we would now be hopeless. Treasuring His Heavenly reward empowered Him-His joy empowered Him to love and forgive His killers.

In John, Jesus said He would prepare our place and then come get us to be with Him(John 14:6)-in His glory-in His complete eternal joy.

If and when we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with this great anticipation, I believe the Joy of Christ will make itself known in our consciousness and the world will see the reason Jesus died flowing out of our lives in forgiving and welcoming love.

Tell God you want to be in that place with Him in Christ.

...because He loves us...He will do it...

Father in Heaven,

I want to lift up Your name. I want to know Your Kingdom Joy and live it before the world. Forgive me for hate. Lead me away from hate.

Loving and forgiving God,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen