Week 6: Preparing for Easter
Day 1: Devotional
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?‘” ~ John 11:25-26
At Bright Hope, we show Jesus’ love by serving the extreme poor, regardless of their background. Our desire is that through our actions, everyone we encounter will hunger to know Christ and find salvation. As we enter the final week of Lent, let’s shift our focus to the hope of resurrection. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. His victory over death offers us eternal hope, even in life’s trials. Lent is a time to reflect on His great sacrifice and the promise of new life for all who believe in Him.This week, schedule time to reflect on the significance of the resurrection. How does the hope of eternal life shape the way you live today? As we prepare for Easter, let us remember that resurrection is the foundation of our faith and the ultimate source of our hope.
Day 2: Pray
Sample prayer: Jesus, you are the resurrection and the life. Thank you for the hope of eternal life with you. As I reflect on your sacrifice, help me to live in light of your victory over death. Fill me with hope and anticipation as we approach Easter. Amen.
Day 3: Reflect
Take time this week to meditate on the significance of Jesus’ resurrection. How does the hope of eternal life shape your daily actions and perspective?
Day 4: Serve
Continue to show Jesus’ love through practical acts of service to those in need, remembering that your actions may open hearts to the gospel.
Day 5: Share
Look for opportunities to share the message of Jesus’ victory over death with someone who may not know Him. Let your words and actions reflect the hope of resurrection.
Week 5: Cultivating fruit that will never spoil
Day 1: Devotional
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Galatians 5:22-25Have you ever been a little too over-zealous at the grocery store or farmers market and bought too much fruit? It looked so fresh and tasty, and the price was right! You imagined munching on fresh fruit and baking pies. As the days go by, you notice it has spoiled. How disappointing!Galatians 5 tells us about a different kind of fruit, not the edible kind that grows on trees, but the kind that grows inside us. This fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit and will never spoil! It is the heavenly kind, and instead of spoiling, it has the eternal power to produce beauty in the lives of others. These spiritual fruits are laid out for us in the book of Galatians: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.Galatians 5:25 says, “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” Now, let’s be real, it is not easy to exhibit all of these attributes every day when someone takes our space in a parking lot, a co-worker snaps at us for no good reason, we are passed over for a promotion, and the list goes on. However, verse 24 reminds us, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.” Jesus calls us to respond in a different way, a heavenly manner.
Day 2: Pray
Heavenly Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life to produce beautiful things in me and in others. Please help me grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I know I can’t do this alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Day 3: Journal
Write out each of the spiritual fruits in your journal. Find an example from the Bible for each of these attributes and jot it down. If time permits, find an example from your own life for each attribute and write it down, as well
Day 4: Simplify Your Life
Are there any areas of your life that cause you to act/feel the opposite of the spiritual fruits? If so, consider limiting or even separating yourself from that activity to make room for more of Christ’s spiritual fruit to fill you.
Day 5: Invest in Eternal Treasures
Ask the Lord to identify one of the spiritual fruits that you are weak in. Instead of seeing it as a failure, lean into the challenge of growing in this area with Jesus’ help. Ask a trusted friend to keep you accountable as you prayerfully strengthen this attribute in your life.
Week 4: Store Up Treasures in Heaven
Day 1: Devotional
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ~ Matthew 6:19-21
Treasure, by definition, is a very valuable object. What do you take delight in and give value to? Is it a rare book collection, a classic car, designer clothing or expensive jewelry? The truth is that we all consider worldly “things” to be our treasures at one time or another.Our daily lives can find us surrounded with advertisements and messages that tell us we need more to be happy–from more money to more stuff, and everything in between. The message is clear. More is better! It is easy for us to believe that message. But is it true?Matthew 6 instructs us quite the opposite. Jesus tells us that treasures on earth can rust and decay and even be stolen from us. He guides us towards what is better–heavenly treasures that cannot be destroyed or stolen by thieves.While the Bible doesn’t provide us with a list of heavenly treasures, we can see them in Jesus’ life. What do we see Jesus putting time and energy towards? Whether healing the sick, seeking after the lost or teaching the multitudes, Jesus loved people. As we seek to stow away eternal treasures, I can think of no better example to follow than our Savior’s.
Day 2: Pray
Sample prayer: Heavenly Father, I know that I often make earthly things my treasure. Please give me a heart to seek out eternal treasures that will please You. Direct me, show me and lead me. Help my heart to love what You love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Day 3: Journal
Read Matthew 6:21 several times slowly: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus promises us treasures in heaven that are far greater than anything we could want on this earth. Journal about the things you give value to.
Day 4: Simplify Your Life
Take a look inside your closet, basement and garage. Are any of these rooms filled with your earthly treasures? If the answer is yes, consider giving some items away to make room in your heart for something that has eternal value in God’s eyes.
Day 5: Invest in Eternal Treasures
Reflect on Jesus’ priorities while on Earth. He sought out people in need, such as the sick, the lonely and the hopeless. He showed them pure love. Search your community and organizations for ways you can serve others. Pray and let Jesus guide you to service opportunities.
Week 3: True Fasting
Day 1: Devotional
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords
of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the
hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” ~ Isaiah 58:6-7
Our Father is generous—full of compassion, love, grace and forgiveness. His sun shines on all
people. He clothes the landscape with vibrant colors and paints the sunset with flaming hues.
Most of all, He sent His Son to pay for our sins and give us His righteousness.
And you know what? You and I are most like our loving God when we give.
In Isaiah 58:6-7, God exposed the Israelites’ misunderstanding of fasting. They focused on
outward rituals but neglected justice and compassion. In this passage, God challenged them to
fast in a way that reflected His heart—by loosening the chains of injustice, feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked and helping the oppressed. True fasting, according to God, is not about ritual
but about living out His love through acts of mercy and service.
Through Isaiah, God called His people to account for living in luxury, hoarding their treasures
and abandoning God for idols. For us, Isaiah 58:6-7 presents a challenge to extend our idea of
fasting to acts of compassion and justice.
Day 2: Writer a Prayer of Gratitude to God
Sample Prayer: Father, thank you for your forgiveness, love and faithfulness. Help me remember
your blessings and live with a grateful heart. Renew our spirits and grow our gratitude for the gift
of your Son. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Day 3: Serve the Hungry and Homeless
Volunteer at a food bank, soup kitchen, or shelter, providing meals, clothing, blankets, and
hygiene products to those in need.
Day 4: Forgive and Reconcile
Develop a heart of compassion and justice by forgiving those who have wronged you, seeking
reconciliation in relationships and seeking peace amid conflict. Who can you forgive today?
Day 5: Practice Generosity
Instead of focusing on traditional fasting (such as giving up food), give your resources—whether
it’s money, time, or skills—to help those in need. Write down one way to practice generosity
today.
Week 2: Fasting and Focus
Day 1: Devotional
“Jesus answered, ’It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ~ Matthew 4:4
Whether we’re wealthy, poor or somewhere in between, we all face trials. When stress and struggles weigh us down, we need God’s strength to stay strong. His Word gives us truth, comfort and the encouragement to keep going.
As we continue our Lent journey, let’s focus on grounding our faith in God’s faithful character. Yes, we need the Bible, but we also need God’s presence, love and closeness in our lives.
Fasting during Lent helps us focus on what matters most: our relationship with God. Like Jesus in the wilderness, we learn that true strength comes from God’s Word, not from physical things.
This week, consider what to give up—food, social media or something else. Let fasting remind you of your dependence on God and His call to care for the poor. Use this time to deepen your relationship with Him and reflect on how you can serve others, especially those in need, by sharing the love and compassion God has shown you.
Day 2: Gratitude
Today, take some time to pause and thank God for His abundant blessings. Write down as many as you can think of and turn your list into a prayer of thanksgiving.
Day 3: Pray
Sample Prayer: Father, as I fast this week, help me to turn my focus toward You. May my hunger for physical things remind me of my deep need for Your Word and Your presence in my life. Strengthen me to resist temptation, just as You did in the wilderness. Amen.
Day 4: Journal
Read Matthew 4:1-11. Reflect on a time when God’s Word helped you through a tough situation. How did it provide you with strength and comfort?
Day 5: Serve
This week, reach out to a friend and share a Bible verse that has deeply encouraged you. You never know how God’s Word might lift their spirit and strengthen their faith!
