PMCBC

Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. — Hebrews 10:35-36

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Some tough times come with living. They’re inescapable. There can also be even tougher times for those who believe and seek to share Jesus. We call that persecution. That’s when our confidence in the Lord’s salvation and our relationship with him get tested! It is one thing to sing “it is well with my soul” at the end of a peel-the-paint worship service. It is quite another to be able to sing those words when they auction your house off at the courthouse steps, you are told you have a long-term debilitating illness, you lose a child to death, or you are ridiculed and persecuted for your faith. Faith can’t take a holiday when we travel through the suburbs of hell – when times are tough. If we quit then, we’ll never find our way out. We must persevere. So don’t throw away your steadfastness in faith. Hang on, hang in, persevere! Don’t give up. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, trusting that God will give you the strength for the next step. No matter how hard it is at the moment, please don’t give in to despair. Be like Job or Jeremiah, who both argued and complained to God, but never let go of God. Don’t quit. Christ is coming for you with grace and glory. His deliverance awaits!

My Prayer…

Holy and Almighty God, today is a good day. However, I am deeply aware that some of those I love are close to giving up their confidence in your love, mercy, grace, peace, and deliverance. Please use me to encourage them. Even more, dear Father, I ask that you use your Holy Spirit to renew their hearts. I pray that you intervene directly to change the course of events, give them relief, and make your gracious presence known to them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. — Romans 5:3-4

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

I remember the Corrie ten Boom phrase, “Thank God for the fleas.” The fleas kept the German soldiers out of the barracks in the concentration camp where she was imprisoned. This allowed her to minister to and visit those being persecuted. The deplorable conditions and her sufferings allowed her to show and share the love of Jesus authentically. In the earliest days of the church, the apostles rejoiced “because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” of Jesus! Their willingness to suffer for Christ opened some people’s hearts to believe because they could see that their hope in Jesus wasn’t just something they preached, but also something they lived! Even in the worst of suffering, God can bring blessings through those who know that life’s goal is character, not comfort. And that character gives us hope for our future with Jesus!

My Prayer…

Mighty God, I confess that I get impatient and frustrated with difficulty, pain, and especially unjust suffering. Please give me more compassion and a better listening ear so that I may bless those who need your love and grace, regardless of the personal cost or personal suffering inflicted upon me. Please bless me with strength to find joy in the difficulties, suffering, and pain of breaking through the barriers the evil one tries to place in the way to keep others from knowing Jesus. In the Savior’s name, I pray to rejoice even in sufferings. Amen.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. — Romans 15:7

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

I hate racism and exclusivity. But my loathing does not match God’s revulsion at these things. On the other hand, we can anticipate the choir of heaven (Revelation 7:9-11) where fellow believers “from every nation, tribe, people and language” will worship Jesus together in glory! But, dear friend in Jesus, we must accept one another in Jesus now, and not let race, language, culture, or suspicion keep us from loving each other as we have already been loved by the Savior. Why do we do this? Because it is right, it is what Jesus does, and it brings glory to God!

My Prayer…

Holy and Righteous Father, I pray that we will have the Holy Spirit use your grace to help us tear down any and all walls that divide your people based on race, culture, status, ethnicity, or privilege. Teach us, and please teach me, to love all peoples as you did when you sent Jesus to save the people “from every nation, tribe, people and language.” In the name of Jesus, who died for all people everywhere, I pray. Amen.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. — 2 Corinthians 13:14

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

I have a friend in Jesus who has taught me the power of sharing a spiritual blessing with others. We share a conviction: Many times in life, ministry, and trial, people need way “more than my words”! Oh, for sure, they do need to hear from me. But my words are earthbound and relatively unproven. The Scriptures, however, are full of proven, inspired, and powerful blessings and prayers. They are way “more than my words”! Which brings us to today’s verse. I can’t think of a better blessing that is way “more than my words” than this short blessing from the apostle Paul: grace, love, and fellowship, all rooted in the eternal, sacrificial, and gracious nature of our God, are captured in this one short and amazing blessing!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And we share these blessings with God’s children from all around the world, so let’s remind each other how blessed we are by sharing this grace-filled blessing with those who might need it.

My Prayer…

Father, I am thinking of several precious friends who need this blessing to fall richly upon them. Please bless them graciously, fully, overflowingly. Please be real to them as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May they experience Jesus’ grace, the Father’s love, and the fellowship of other believers through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, I ask for this grace. Amen.

Rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. — Joel 2:23

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

“The prayers go up, and the blessings come down…” The words to this children’s song are only half right, because God sends his blessings many times even when we don’t pray. But just as we love the special smell that comes with a drought-breaking rain, God loves the aroma of his children’s joy, especially when he is the source of their delight! So, dear friends, let’s find reasons to rejoice with the seasons changing to autumn (Northern Hemisphere) and spring (Southern Hemisphere). As the apostle Paul told the Philippians:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near (Philippians 4:4-5).

My Prayer…

Holy God and tender Father, you are our great delight. In the changing of our seasons, you remain our dependable, faithful, and loving God. You are our rock and fortress; you are our tender shepherd; and you are our solid mountain that cannot be shaken or moved. Your blessings and grace shower down upon us and fill us with joy. We can’t wait for the day we get to see you face to face and delight in your presence forever. Until then, O Lord, we will rejoice in anticipation as you shower us with your blessings. In Jesus’ glorious name, we pray. Amen.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. — Ephesians 4:29

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

The goal in Christian communication is not just clarity. The goal is not just to be understood. The goal is not just to be truthful. The goal is not only to be appropriate and helpful, but also to be JESUShaped disciples; it means we want to deliver our message based on their needs so it benefits, blesses, and builds up those who listen. Not only do we avoid crude, profane, or improper speech, but we are to fill our lives and the ears of those who hear us with the kinds of words that Jesus would share with people. God has called us to this high standard because we are to reflect and demonstrate Christ’s character in our lives, bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) as he transforms us to become more like our Savior (2 Corinthians 3:18).

My Prayer…

Tender Shepherd, please bless me with a pure heart so my words will be a helpful blessing to those who hear them. Please give me a kind heart so my words will build up those who hear them. Please help my heart be full of joy and encouragement so that I may benefit those who need my words. In Jesus’ name, I pray, asking the Spirit to help my words be shaped by the fruit you want to see come alive in me. Amen.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. — Philippians 2:3-4

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Do you remember one of the earliest questions in the Bible? “Where is your brother… Abel?” To which Cain responded: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) Paul’s answer to Cain’s question is clear and undeniable: It is, YES! As Paul tells the Philippians (and us) in this verse, we must not look only to our “own interests, but also to the interest of others”! We are our brother’s keeper! We are our sister’s keeper! We look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of those around us who need God’s grace and our love.

My Prayer…

Father, teach me to love your family as you love me. I get so caught up and distracted in my own world and my own problems that I forget to notice those hurting around me. Help me grow more aware and attuned to others’ needs, so you may minister to their needs and interests through me. In the powerful name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light… — Ephesians 5:8

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Our before and after: we were lost, now found; we were darkness, now light. This should be our journey of grace. “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see,” as the old hymn “Amazing Grace” has us sing. If we could only fully grasp what we so easily sing, then maybe our lives would be filled with more grace and our churches with more confident servants of God. Let’s “live as children of light” (1 Thessalonians 5:5), transferred from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of God’s love (Colossians 1:13-14), in whom we have light and life (John 1:4).

My Prayer…

Lord God Almighty, by your grace we know that we stand before you today, welcomed into your glorious presence and received as your beloved children. You have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and flooded our hearts with your glorious light. Thank you for rescuing us from all the traps of the darkness and bringing us into your light. Please guide our hearts and our feet so they will walk your path and show forth your light to those in darkness. Through Jesus and by his authority, we pray. Amen.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. — James 3:13

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

James promised that if we ask for wisdom in faith, God will grant it to us (James 1:5). This kind of wisdom, God-granted wisdom, reveals itself through a loving, humble lifestyle. In worldly cultures, someone who is smart can easily justify acting arrogantly. In the Lord’s eyes, however, smart but arrogant people are worse than those who are silly and foolish. The pridefully intelligent people of our world are woefully ignorant if they are ignorant. True godly wisdom is not about flaunting knowledge, but about living a “good life”characterized by good deeds done with humility. Which more closely resembles you in your walk with Jesus: Wisdom expressed through good deeds and a humble lifestyle, or an arrogant intelligence expressed in deeds and words of superiority and arrogance?

My Prayer…

Loving Shepherd, I know you have always been a wise and loving Father to me. Help me share the care you have lavished on me with the person who needs it most, in my circle of influence, today. Please give me the wisdom to recognize each opportunity and respond with deeds and words shared with them in humility. Please protect me from arrogance and feelings of superiority and privilege. Please humble me gently in the ways that forge me into a more useful tool in your hands. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. — 1 John 4:16

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

How do you know God is at home in your heart? It’s an important question! You know when you are doing loving things to bless the lives of others, and your love reflects the Spirit-formed kind of love Paul defines in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; God is at home in your heart:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

When we consistently act in unloving ways, we show we really do not know God, no matter how much Bible we think we know!

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:7-8).

Just as we trust and rely on God’s constant love for us, our brothers and sisters in Christ need us to show them our love consistently and steadfastly. Love is not only a sign that we have been born of God, but this kind of Spirit-led love is the glue that holds our fellowship together.

My Prayer…

Loving God and Almighty Father, please open my heart to see how Jesus has loved me. Please fill me with your Spirit so I can love my family, my friends, and those you place in my path with that kind of love. Please use my love for Jesus, for them, and for those around me to help them learn about Jesus and his love for them. In the name of my gracious Savior, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. — Philippians 2:1-2

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

While our passage begins with an “If…,” it would be better translated as “Since we have…” Our call to sacrificially submit ourselves to others does not begin with our sacrifice, but with Jesus’ love, example, and sacrifice! We are called to unity in spirit and shared purpose after having received all these blessings from being in Jesus! We are encouraged by being united with Christ. We are comforted by his love. We do share in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We have received tenderness and compassion. So, dear brother and sister, how can we not share those blessings with our Christian family and find a way to live together in his Kingdom with loving harmony?

My Prayer…

Holy and righteous Father, you have blessed me so richly in Jesus. Open my eyes to see how those around me in my spiritual family need to receive those same blessings from me. In the name of Jesus, and because of the grace he has lavished upon me, I pray with thanksgiving in my heart. Amen.

Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. — 1 Peter 3:8

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Unity and harmony are no accident! They happen because of intention and submission. More than just states of being we find along life’s way, they are commanded by God. We are to pursue them! How do we have unity and harmony? Peter reminds us we must have three commitments in our “family of faith” lifestyle:

1. We actively share our sorrows, losses, and concerns
2. We love and value each other as family.
3. We show compassion and humility with each other.

Rather than acting superior to others as they deal with their failures and loss, we are sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble. We recognize that we are vulnerable to the same problems, hurts, wounds, and temptations as our brothers and sisters who need us, and whom we need to be fully JESUShaped disciples!

My Prayer…

Father, I confess that I have let my oversensitive self be wounded and reacted with pettiness when my brothers and sisters in Christ have not treated me as I felt I deserved. I know Jesus was treated so rudely and shamefully by those he created and came to save. I know I shouldn’t be surprised when things don’t always go well for me. So, dear Father, please help me to know when to challenge those who wound me with a loving “carefrontation” and when to ignore the barb and find a way to minister to them because of some deeper wound that crippled them in their past. Father, let me be an instrument of your peace, harmony, grace, love, compassion, and unity. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! — Philippians 4:4

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

True and lasting joy is found in the Lord, not in temporary things, momentary achievements, or fleeting riches. True joy, abiding joy, unconquerable joy is found in knowing that God always accompanies, sustains, helps, protects, and upholds us, and then one day will come to include us in his forever home with us. How can we not rejoice? God loves us so much that he emptied heaven of his greatest treasure so that we can join him in glory and in never-ending joy. How can we be so sure of all of this? We remember the empty tomb, our risen Savior, and the Lord’s disciples who met the risen Jesus and “disbelieved for joy” (Luke 24:41-43). That disbelief, however, was swallowed up in unstoppable joy as Jesus ate some fish in front of them as they marveled at their resurrected Savior.

My Prayer…

Precious Father, thank you for always being there for us, with us, and in us. You know what is on our hearts before the words are on our tongues. You care for us in ways we cannot begin to imagine. We long to know you and see you face to face and share in the unbridled joy of heaven with you. Until then, we truly rejoice because we know our future is in your hands! Thank you; we rejoice in the name of Jesus Christ, our risen and victorious Lord. Amen.

I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. — Psalm 121:1-2

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

In a world of startling beauty and a universe of dazzling diversity, our hearts are to be drawn back to the One who made it, now sustains it, and reveals part of himself in his creative genius (Romans 1:19-20; Psalm 8:1, 3-4). Our God has revealed himself as our Abba Father (Romans 8:15-16), who knows us, will help us, and lives in us (John 14:18, 21, 23). We can look on the created beauty of our universe and say with confidence, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth,” who is also my Abba Father.

My Prayer…

Almighty Creator, Incredible Architect and Majestic Engineer, your creative work absolutely bewilders and delights us. Being so beyond us, you astound us even more when we realize that you care for each of us individually, knowing us intimately from our conception to old age. With all the things of such vast importance, we find your desire to know and love us both humbling and reassuring. Today we will worship, work, and witness to your greatness before others, aware of your constant presence, help, and care. Thank you, dear Father, for being glorious and also near us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Even to your old age and gray hairs, I AM he, I AM he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. — Isaiah 46:4

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

This promise was originally made in Isaiah’s day to the faithful remnant of God’s people living among their corrupted and poisonous neighbors. God wanted them, in their day, just as he wants Jesus’ disciples in ours, to realize that he knows us, gave birth to us through his Spirit (John 1:12-13, 8), and will never leave us or forsake us (Romans 8:37-39; Hebrews 13:5-6). God will not forget us when we’re in trouble or when we are old. We may outlive our friends and be forgotten by those who know us. God, however, will sustain, carry, protect, and rescue us (Isaiah 46:3). And when our earthly journeys come to their end, the Father will send Jesus to rescue us, and “we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).

My Prayer…

Thank you, our Father, for promising never to forget us. Because of your faithfulness to your children of old, we know we can trust your promises never to leave or abandon us, even when we are old. We trust that no matter where we are or where we go, you will go with us, sustain us, lead us, and carry us. In Jesus’ name, we offer our heartfelt thanks as we anticipate our journey with you until we are home in your presence. Amen.

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. — Titus 2:2

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

“Worthy of respect”: What a goal for our lives, whether we are a man or a woman!
Don’t you want your life to reflect the character of God because your faith expresses itself in a life that is temperate (reverent), self-controlled, faithful, loving, and steadfast? Paul wants Timothy to urge the older men to genuinely display these character qualities as they live in the presence of and have influence over others in the family of God. Such character is the work of the Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23) and manifests only as we dedicate ourselves to pursuing Christ-likeness and offering ourselves to the Holy Spirit for God’s transforming work in us (2 Corinthians 3:18). As we grow older, we often worry about securing our financial investments so we can live comfortably in our older years. The apostle Paul’s concern as we age is that we are yielded to Jesus, so that God’s transformative work in us makes us more valuable for his service and for those around us!

My Prayer…

Father, please strengthen my faith in Jesus as the Holy Spirit does your transforming work in me. Please help me gain better control of my passions, speech, example, temper, kindness, and habits. Help me put to death the things that would rob me of my spiritual passion and poison my influence for good for those around me. Please strengthen my faith as I seek to treat others lovingly and persevere in faith through difficult times. In Jesus’ name, and for my transformation to be more like him, I pray. Amen.

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. — Psalm 143:10

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

We want the Holy Spirit to be at work in us, transforming us to become more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). For this to happen, we must seek Jesus and open our hearts to God’s will. There are no greater words God wants to hear than “teach me to do your will.” That is what it means for him to be our God. We invite him to have control over our lives and influence over our wills. This is a key part of what it means for us to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37-38). As we open ourselves to the Father in this way, the Holy Spirit sets us on God’s level ground and leads us on our journey home to our Father, maturing us to be more like Jesus, doing God’s will.

My Prayer…

Almighty God, I want you to be God in and over my life. I renounce any attempt to manipulate or use your grace and kindness selfishly, only for my benefit. I submit my will to yours and ask you to lead and teach me to do your will. However, dear Father, I confess that I struggle at times with my own selfish and evil desires that lead me astray. Thank you for forgiving me and bringing me back to you. Please forgive me when my ears were shut to your will and your word. Forgive me when my heart was cold to you. Please take control of my life today. Have the Holy Spirit lead me and transform me to be more like your Son and my Savior, through whom I ask you to assert your will as God fully and lead me on your level ground. Amen.

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we present everyone perfect in Christ. — Colossians 1:28

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Our goal as Christians, as disciples of Jesus, is not to obey some ancient law, adhere to some arcane set of rules, or even follow some prescribed spiritual discipline. Our goal as Christians is to be conformed to the character, way of life, and heart of Jesus (Luke 6:40). We want to be JESUShaped people. This is also the Holy Spirit’s work in us (2 Corinthians 3:18). As Paul the apostle makes clear here and elsewhere (Galatians 4:19), his goal is to see “Christ formed” in new disciples. Shouldn’t this be our work as parents, friends, and spiritual mentors, too? We want to see each other, those we love, those we influence, and those in Jesus’ family, fully and perfectly mature in Christ Jesus.

My Prayer…

Holy Lord, conform my heart, words, life, ministry, and actions to those of Jesus. I want him to be my Lord, not just in my words but also in my daily life. In addition, dear Father, please empower me with the Holy Spirit so I can better help others in Jesus’ family, and help them mature into the roles you have for them, as you mature them into a more perfect example of their Lord. I pray this in the name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” — John 14:23

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

At many Christian funerals and memorials, the preacher emphasizes that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us to join him in heaven, but will one day come back for us and bring us home with him (John 14:1-3). Just a few verses later, the Lord deepens his promise. He promises that if we love him and obey him, he will love us and reveal himself to us (John 14:21). On top of that, he and the Father will love us and make their home in us until we can go home to be with them (John 14:23). As we love God and obey Jesus’ commandments, our relationship, closeness, and experience of God’s presence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, deepens because they live inside us – make their home with us. Obeying Jesus’ teaching is our pathway to a closer walk with God!

My Prayer…

Holy God, I know Jesus came to earth and obeyed your will. Please bless me with the discernment I need to fully obey you. I desire that my obedience will not just be the strict obedience of your words, but a deep longing to live according to your will. I long to honor you because you have done so much to save me. Thank you. In Jesus’ name I thank and praise you. Amen.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” — Matthew 28:18-20

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Last words matter! The last words of a parent to a child leaving for college… The last words of a loved one at the bedside of someone dying… The last words of a friend before moving to a distant place… Our last words are chosen with care because we know they leave a lasting impact on those who hear. They are important to us. We want those who hear them to know them and keep them. Jesus’ last words are our authoritative marching orders for us as his disciples. These words are also very clear:
Make disciples of all peoples by…

• Going to all nations.
• Baptizing believers in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• Teaching these new believers to obey what Jesus commanded.

This is the will of Jesus, our Lord. This is the will of our Lord, and as we obey his last words, he promises to be with us everywhere we go. We must not substitute easy and cheap replacements for Jesus’ clear words of commission!

My Prayer…

Father, the one from whom all peoples derive their hope, please use your Spirit to rouse me to a passion for sharing your grace with others. Nudge me out of my safety zone. Move me through your empowering and sacrificial grace as you equip and lead me through the Holy Spirit. I want to help others come to know you and call on you as their Lord. By the power of your name, O Jesus, I ask this. Amen.

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you — guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. — 2 Timothy 1:13-14

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

We live in a world of keys, locks, alarms, passwords, passkeys, and security systems. Paul’s words shouldn’t surprise us. We protect the things that are most valuable to us. So ask yourself, “What is more precious to me than the truth of God’s saving grace in the Gospel, in faith?” Nothing. So thankfully, God has pre-wired each of us with a security system to help protect that incredibly precious hope. This security system lives in us and has given us God’s Scriptures by inspiration. This security system is the Holy Spirit, given to us when we were born into God’s family through the Spirit’s work. So, let’s value the Spirit’s presence more. Let’s ask for the Spirit’s help more proactively as we pray and open the Scriptures. Let’s listen and watch for the Spirit’s gentle leading and nudges to help us find our way. And let’s ask for the Holy Spirit’s help in safeguarding what God has entrusted to us.

My Prayer…

Please help me, O God, not to compromise your truth. I don’t want to stray into legalism or license. I want to live, and show others how to live, a holy life while trusting in the Holy Spirit’s help to guide me, reveal your truth in Scripture, produce fruit consistent with your character, transform me to become more like Jesus, and open my eyes to your will. Please empower me by your Spirit to see through falsehood and error so I can safeguard, share, and live your truth. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I AM the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” — Isaiah 48:17

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Don’t you sometimes long for the pillar of fire at night and the cloud by day to guide us as we make our way through life? God gave these blessings to the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings (Exodus 13:21-22; Nehemiah 9:19-21). They never had to doubt God’s presence was with them and his care was over them. Then I remember God’s promised and abiding presence with us as followers of Jesus. This abiding presence is the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39; Romans 8:14). The Spirit’s presence is coupled with the promise that God will never leave or forsake us (Romans 8:38-39; Hebrews 13:5-6). As we seek God’s presence and honor his character, he will get us where we need to be to do his will. We can be assured that he will work in our lives what is most beneficial for us in this life and the next (Romans 8:28). Yes, the Lord is our God and Redeemer, and he directs us in the way we should go!

My Prayer…

O heavenly Father, please guide each of us to the places you want us to be, to the ministries in which you want us to serve, and to the people you most want us to touch and influence. Please, dear Father, capture each of our hearts to do your work and help us never lose sight of your abiding presence now, and the future we have with Jesus when he comes in glory.* In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

The earth is filled with your love, O Lord; teach me your decrees. — Psalm 119:64

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Sometimes we get so caught up in the loving wonders of God’s creation and the marvelous blessings of “the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1, 111:7) that we forget to ask him to teach us his truths, help us understand his will, and give us the grace to live out his word in our daily lives. Let’s not only worship God in awe for his majestic creation; let’s also worship him by learning his will and living it in our daily lives (Romans 12:1-2).

My Prayer…

Holy and Precious Father, please teach me your truth. Lead me to your will. Guide me in your wisdom. I want my life and my choices to reflect your plan for me when you made me in my mother’s womb.* I desire for my life to display your righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful lovingkindness. In the name of Jesus I ask these things. Amen.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. — Proverbs 22:6

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Children don’t just need to be taught facts, truth, and school subjects; they need to be trained and prepared for life in the grace of God, the way of Jesus, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. This training should come from their parents and other faithful adults in their lives. Deep down, we know that life is not just about intellectual lessons and information. Authentic life and productive living are about integrating God’s truth into the fabric of our daily lives as we teach them and model them before our children and the children God places under our influence. Our Father in heaven calls us to move our children and their training to the top of our list of priorities. Our children are forever; other things we invest our time in are temporary. So, let’s recommit to training up children and living as examples before them so that they will follow the way of God their whole lives.

My Prayer…

Great and holy Counselor, please help me as I seek to know the best way to share your love and truth with my children and the children you have placed into my circle of influence. I want them to know and love you, respect you, honor you, and live for you. Please, dear Father, bless me with the wisdom and courage I need to make wise decisions on how to lead and discipline these children. I need your help to display tenderness toward these precious children as I seek to demonstrate your righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful love and justice in my daily life. In Jesus’ name, I pray for your help. Amen.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. — Psalm 95:6-7

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Worship is more than our hearts, souls, and words offered to God. It also necessarily involves our physical bodies, our strength, and our posture (Mark 12:29-30). When we understand the grace God has given us to be called his children, what else can we do but bow down or kneel before him in his majesty and loving grace? We come to him, a conquering ruler, offering ourselves in full submission. God chooses, however, to treat us tenderly like a loving shepherd who longs to care for us, and our Abba Father who is full of tender love for us. We must not forget the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7) and the lost sons (Luke 15:11-32) as we pray this truth! Such grace leads us to bow and kneel in heartfelt worship before the Lord, our maker.

My Prayer…

Shepherd of my soul, my loving Abba Father, I come to you seeking your protection and rest as one of your sheep. I often find myself harried and driven by life’s pressures and temptations. I come to you submitting myself to be used for your glory – not just today, but for the remainder of our lives because we want others to find their rest in Jesus. So we kneel, we bow, and we humble ourselves. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

“You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” — Ephesians 2:19

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Those of us who have been Christians a long time sometimes forget that we have no claim or right to the grace that we have received. God offered his grace freely to all people who are willing to call on Jesus as Lord and Savior, then live for him wholeheartedly (Titus 2:11; Acts 2:21, 41, 16:22; Romans 10:13). When we feel we deserve our place in “God’s household”, that it is ours by right, we are no longer living under grace. To be a part of God’s family is a gift. The Holy One who spoke into existence the universe – and we are a submicroscopic speck in comparison – has given us grace to be adopted into his family. Being part of God’s people, God’s household, is simply and magnificently a gift from the One who knows how to share grace in ways we can’t even imagine.

My Prayer…

For the incredible and boundless love you have given to your other children and me, born anew, born from above, born of you, O God, we fall to our knees and thank you. Your power is beyond our comprehension. Your awesome holiness is beyond our understanding. Yet your infinite grace is ours because of your costly love and boundless grace through Jesus. Thank you. A million times over we say it, “Thank you!” In the name of Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. — Galatians 3:28

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Wouldn’t it be great if we could tear down all the walls that divide us – racial, social, economic, gender, and political. The apostle Paul spent his entire life trying to do just that: to tear down the walls that divided people by bringing them to Jesus and the cross. In fact, Paul emphatically proclaimed that Christ “has made us … one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:13-14 ESV). There are no positions of superiority or inferiority at the foot of the cross; only a place for those who discover God’s might displayed in sacrifice and God’s love displayed even when under attack at the hands of human cruelty. While the forces of culture and human selfishness are always trying to divide us, we can remember that in Jesus, and only in Jesus, we can all be truly one.

My Prayer…

Forgive me, O God, for the times when I have let prejudice and suspicion keep me from fully enjoying fellowship with those whom you have claimed as your children. I pray that my life will be an example of redemption and unity as I seek to love your children as you do. In the name of Jesus, whose dying prayer was for unity among his followers (John 17:20-21), I pray. Amen.

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: To believe in the one he has sent.” — John 6:29

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Do you believe in Jesus – not just “kinda believe” in Jesus, but do you really believe? Years ago, shortly after Max Lucado came back from his mission work in Rio, Brazil, he shared with a group of his closest friends that his theology was pretty simple. He didn’t have a handle on a lot of the big, difficult theological problems that divide folks. However, Max said he came to the firm and deep conviction that God loves us, and he showed that love by really sending Jesus to live among us, to die for us, and to be raised from the dead so that we could be raised from death, too. This is the work of God – amazingly simple and awesomely powerful. I believe in Jesus. I pray that you believe in Jesus. While we may be uncertain about many specific details of complex doctrinal issues, the work of God we need is to genuinely “believe in the one he has sent.”

My Prayer…

Holy God, I do believe that Jesus came to earth, died, and was raised from the dead. Please help me show and share that message with those around me who are looking for hope and help. Holy Spirit, open my eyes to those around me who are searching for Jesus, and please give me the courage and sensitivity I need to share Jesus effectively with them, with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). Father, I want so much to share in your work of both believing in Jesus personally and also helping others to believe in him. I rededicate myself to this gospel message today. In the name of Jesus, my Savior, I pray. Amen.

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. — Isaiah 26:3

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

It is naive, on one hand, to think that trusting in God makes all of our problems go away. Christians have many of the same problems that unbelievers do because they share the same mortal flesh and live in the same broken world (Romans 8:18-21). Some of our brothers and sisters are suffering hardship and persecution because of their faith. However, there is also a sense that trusting in God does make our problems go away – or at least helps us put those problems into perspective. Because we trust in God, our work stands or falls in his hands. Either way, we know that we will share in his victorious and glorious presence forever (Colossians 3:1-2). Our lives are not lived in vain. That’s not just confidence; it’s the foundation of true peace. We can live our lives to their fullest, knowing that every moment matters. We don’t need to be anxious about the results when we rest our lives in the hands of our living and victorious Lord, in whom we trust!

My Prayer…

Almighty Father of peace, thank you for the assurance that my life will not be lived in vain and will end victoriously in your presence with the return of Jesus (1 Thess. 4:16-18). May I share this sense of peace with others. In the name of Jesus, my Prince of Peace, I pray with confidence and assurance. Amen.

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. — Romans 12:4-5

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Three key realities of our discipleship are belonging, usefulness, and connectedness. Each of us belongs! We belong to God. We belong to Jesus. We belong to Jesus’ body, the Church. We belong to each other as members of Jesus’ body. The Holy Spirit not only cleansed us when we were given new birth in Jesus’ family (John 3:6-7; 1 Corinthians 6:11), but the Spirit also gifted us (Ephesians 4:7; 1 Peter 4:10) and connected us with everyone else in Jesus’ body! We each have a place and a purpose for the Church to function as Jesus’ bodily presence in our world today. We each have something to bring to the other believers who make us Jesus’ body, the Church. Each of us belongs! Each of us is needed! Each of us has an important role to play with significant things to do! Each of us is connected to each other. If one part suffers, we all suffer. If one person is blessed, we all rejoice (1 Corinthians 12:26). So, dear friend of Jesus, rather than envying someone else’s gift or belittling someone we feel has a lesser gift, or rejecting someone who does not have a specific gift, let’s rejoice in each other, support each other, and do our part in helping the world see Jesus!

My Prayer…

Help me, please, dear Father. I want to find the place you made me to fill in Jesus’ body, the Church. As I discover my place to serve and use my gifts, I pledge to work so that your Spirit, and not just my own preferences, will guide me into your place for me to serve. Thank you for giving me a place not only to belong, but also to serve and be a part of Jesus’ bodily presence in the world. In Jesus’ name, and for his glory, I pray. Amen.

Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. — Psalm 119:165

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

My doctor likes to tease me when I come in for a checkup: “What is your problem with gravity?” You see, from an early age, my nickname was “Trip”! I am someone who has had several very clumsy stages of life and taken some pretty nasty stumbles. So, I hope you will join me in hearing this most beautiful promise from today’s Scripture. For me, this promise is almost beyond believing.

“Nothing can make them stumble.”

When it comes to life, God gives us this promise: as we know, love, and do his will, nothing can make us stumble. There is great peace knowing that the Father loves us and doesn’t want us to stumble. Even when we do begin to stumble, if we go back to God and confess those stumbles and sins, he forgives them and makes us clean. It’s as if they hadn’t happened (1 John 1:9). God no longer sees it as a stumble because he has forgiven it and has empowered us beyond it! Now it is our turn to love God, his truth, and his guidance, obeying with all of our hearts, knowing that we have a power over spiritual gravity: nothing can make us stumble!

My Prayer…

Thank you, God, for this day. Thank you for all that lies ahead. Thank you that we don’t have to face today or tomorrow with doubts about our basic values and without a sense of your will for our lives. Stir us to live your will and obey your Scriptures so that nothing can make us stumble. Empower us with your Spirit and guide us with your truth so that we may more perfectly reflect your character. In Jesus’ name, we thank you for hearing our prayers. Amen.

I love the Lord. He heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. — Psalm 116:1-2

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Understanding the Lord’s love, presence, and nearness should lead us to serve him and to deepen our relationship with him. While we love God for many reasons, we especially want to express our love to him today for his personal concern for us – individually for each of us! In a world where important people refuse to spend time with those they consider “beneath them,” we are truly blessed with an incomparable God who listens to our every cry, recognizes our distinct voice, and tunes his ear to hear every one of our whispers. Yes! I will call on the Lord! I will praise him, thank him, confess to him, and speak of him and his grace as long as I live!

My Prayer…

Father, you know each hair on my head and every thought in my heart. Thank you for hearing my prayers. Thank you for answering so many of them with the answer I sought from you. Please give me patience when I cannot see your hand in the other answers – those that do not come as soon or do not bear the result I had requested. I believe and trust that you are always near, working for my good even when I can’t see it or understand what is happening. I believe you always answer my prayers to your glory and for my best eternal interests. So please, dear Father, strengthen my faith so that I will never outlive my trust and faith in you. In the name of Jesus, I ask for this grace. Amen.

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. — Psalm 94:18-19

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

We are amazed at the vastness of God’s reach, the awesome breadth of his power, and the glorious sweep of his majesty. An additional truth is God’s personal nearness, tenderness, and attentiveness to our needs – his continual support and consolation. Our Father chooses to know us and be actively involved in the trials and triumphs we face each day. Imagine how today and every tomorrow will be different because we are aware of his presence and certain of his companionship in our lives. Realize the difference knowing that God supports us when our feet slip and how near God’s consolation is when our anxiety and fear rise in our hearts. God, the Master of all creation, knows each of us and intervenes in each of our lives to support and console us!

My Prayer…

Loving God, you are everywhere yet always near. Please, dear Father, hear my heartfelt love and appreciation for you. I am overwhelmed at your presence near me and within me. You provide me comfort when I am under siege; you offer me strength when I am weak; you give me courage when I am under attack; and you instill hope when all seems hopeless. These gifts of your presence are precious to me. Without your presence, I would not know where to go or why I am here. Thank you for knowing me and loving me. Dear Father, I look forward to knowing you one day as you know me today (1 John 3:2-3; 1 Corinthians 13:12). In Jesus’ name, I revel in your grace, rejoice in your presence, and reawaken to your companionship with me each day. Amen.

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, give us all things? — Romans 8:32

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

If God gave up his Son to save us, what will he not do to bless, guide, and keep us? That’s Paul’s point in our verse today. God bought us out of bondage to sin, death, and hell so that now we are holy to him (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul was telling the Corinthians that God’s overflowing grace should motivate us toward holiness, living wholeheartedly and unabashedly for God while using our bodies to glorify him as a temple to God in the Holy Spirit. In our verse for today, Paul is seeking to motivate us to live for God while also giving us assurance. God was gracious to redeem us when we were undeserving (Romans 5:6-11). Now that we are his children and seeking to honor him, we can trust that he is doing everything to bring his salvation in us to completion! God’s initial grace saves us while his ongoing grace blesses us continuously. Isn’t it amazing how God’s grace is such a multifaceted and ongoing blessing to us?!

My Prayer…

Almighty God, I am overwhelmed by your sacrificial love offered to me in Jesus. As your Spirit comforts, encourages, and moves me toward holiness, I revel in the assurance of your continual outpouring of grace as you lead me toward the full realization of salvation, a salvation you long to grace me with your continuous blessings in my life. In Jesus’ glorious name, I pray and thank you. Amen.

By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me — a prayer to the God of my life. — Psalm 42:8

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

I have always loved music. To this day, songs help unlock the part of me that is most open to God. Songs help me declare my love for him and offer my praise to him. But as the psalmist said so many centuries ago, and I find it is still true for me today: his song is with me at night, especially on those nights when sleep is hard to find and I need reassurance of his love. Even when I can’t remember what I dreamed the previous night, I often awaken to a praise song that had been sung over me (Zephaniah 3:17), with me, and by me in my sleep – “…at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life … the Lord [who] directs his love” to me!

My Prayer…

O God of my life, thank you for music and song. Thank you for giving me so many good things to sing joyfully to you, about you, and with you. Thank you for hearing my heart when I sing, not just my words or the song’s melody, but my heart. I long, dear Father, for the day I get to hear you sing over me personally, and as I join the heavenly chorus around your throne praising you. Until then, please fill my life, and especially my nights, with your songs. Through Jesus, I ask and pray for this grace to continue. Amen.

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. — Psalm 16:8

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Many things can trouble our lives, but none can shake us loose from the grip of God’s grace as our hearts remain pointed at Jesus as our Lord and our hope remains focused on the Lord’s return. If Jesus is our Lord, then all of life’s greatest blessings lie ahead of us, and he will let nothing rob us of this coming glory! We have confidence as believers because each of us can say:

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

So, dear friend in Jesus, let’s not just say it; let’s passionately live it!

My Prayer…

Holy Lord, you are worthy of majesty, honor, and praise. I lift your name, O God, and place it above every name. As I look to the future, I want to honor you and journey with you, knowing you are with me. Since I believe you will never leave or forsake me (Romans 8:37-39), I will always look ahead with anticipation, knowing that you are leading the way. Through Jesus, I anticipate and pray. Amen.

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. — 1 John 5:12

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

This statement is both a reminder of God’s glorious grace and also of our need to share that grace with others. Life is such a precious gift; it would be a shame and a deep loss for anyone we know and love to miss out on the gift of God’s life. God gave us the gift of his Son so that in finding him, we too could share in his life, and share that life with others. As Jesus himself said:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent…” (John 17:3).

My Prayer…

Father of all nations, please resurrect a desire in your people to spread your grace to every language, tribe, nation, and people (Revelation 7:9-10). Empower us with your Spirit so that we will speak the Gospel of Jesus with boldness and respect to a world that does not know him and does not have life. Use us to help others come to life in the Son! Through the name of Jesus, your Son, and our Savior, we pray. Amen.

To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. — Philippians 1:21

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

The truth is often as simple as it is sweet – if Jesus is our life, then our lives have no end. In faith, we shared with Jesus in his saving death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-7) through our baptism as we called on the name of the Lord to save us (Colossians 2:12). Our lives – our eternal essence and identity – are hidden with Christ and will be fully revealed when we share with Jesus in his eternal glory (Colossians 3:3-4). Death does not strip life from us, but ushers us into life in Jesus’ very presence, where no power or event, not even death, can steal us from his grasp (Romans 8:38-39).

My Prayer…

O Eternal God, thank you for sending Jesus to show us your love, and thank you for sending him again in the future. Jesus is our anchor in the storms of life and our light in our darkest nights, reminding us that you love us with an undying love. In the name of Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, and the one in whom we find life that never ends,* we pray. Amen.

“Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. — 2 Corinthians 10:17-18

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

We live in a world with skewed values, false promises, lust for notoriety, and desperation for fleeting fame. The real question for us, needs to be this: What can we boast in other than the steadfastness of the Lord’s love, the incredible riches of the Lord’s grace, the incomparable supply of the Lord’s blessings, the sweetness of the Lord’s people, the mercy of the Lord’s plan for our salvation, the promise of the Lord’s tomorrow, and the promise of the Lord Jesus’ nearness (Philippians 4:5; Romans 8:38-39; Hebrews 13:5-6) – who is with us and in us and for us? So, dear friend of Jesus, let’s have our only boast be in the Lord because that is where everything else that matters in our lives can be found!

My Prayer…

Lord of majesty and mercy, every good and enduring thing in our lives we have because of your love, grace, mercy, and presence. You are our assurance and hope. You are our blessing and boast. We place our assurance of a glorious future in you, Lord Jesus. In your name, we offer our thanks and praise as we boast only in our Lord. Amen.

Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. — 2 Corinthians 7:1

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

In a world so full of distractions and temptations, purity is difficult. Even more than difficult, the call to purity often goes forgotten and ignored (1 John 3:2-3). “Cheap grace” (Jude 1:4) is sometimes substituted for Jesus’ call to passionate, pure, and holy living. While we never want to give in to a works-righteousness approach to salvation, we must also remember that impurity through laziness, lack of commitment, or simple rebellion contaminates those claiming to be Christians and ruins our influence before the watching world. We are called to be at work perfecting holiness in our lives out of our reverence for God!

My Prayer…

Please purify my heart, my life, my body, and my influence, O God. May my words and my thoughts be blameless in your sight. I want to be holy as you are holy and honor you alone as worthy of honor and glory. I commit to living a holy life dedicated to you because it honors you, the one, true, living, and holy God! Through Jesus, I ask this. Amen.

If we live, we live to the Lord: and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. — Romans 14:8

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

One of the incredible realizations we have as Christians is that our relationship with the Lord is eternal. As we seek after him, he is always there, and no one can separate us from his love (Romans 8:38-29). Even when we die, we go to be “with the Lord” (Philippians 1:23-24). When we sleep in death, we are still “in the Lord” (Revelation 14:13). When he returns in glory, we will go to “be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18). Everything we have on earth is temporary except our love for the Lord Jesus, our praise of God through him, and our friends with whom we share that love and praise!

My Prayer…

Almighty God, thank you so much for binding yourself to our world in Jesus and binding me close to you through his lordship in my life. I look forward to the day when the Lord I kneel to worship today will be recognized by all those living and those who have died as the One True Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). I commit to live this day to honor him, and I know, dear Father, that by honoring him I honor you. I praise and thank you for the gift of Jesus’ eternal and abiding lordship in the name of the Christ, my Lord. Amen.

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. … “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” — Revelation 3:14, 20

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

It has always fascinated me that this verse is often cited by those calling others to conversion when it is written to a lukewarm church and her members. These disciples, like many of us, need to rekindle their love-relationship with the Lord and demonstrate it by living passionately for Jesus. Along with those believers centuries ago, we need to ask the Lord Jesus into our hearts, lives, and churches today. It’s not that he’s not there; it’s just that he awaits our invitation to enter and take the lead. He will not barge in and dominate, but enters when we invite him into our lives and welcome him to take control. So, dear friend in Jesus, the Lord inhabits hearts into which he has been invited, so let’s open the door and invite him into our hearts and lives!

My Prayer…

Holy Lord and Savior, I know you long to share your presence and fellowship with me. I know you are nearby (Philippians 4:5), as I draw each breath. But I confess that I am often unaware, and sometimes even unappreciative, of your presence. I ask you this day to come into my heart and fill my life with your presence, comfort, guidance, holiness, and power. I want my life to be lived for you and with you. Thank you for providing Jesus as my Lord and Savior. In his name, I offer my thanks and praise. Amen.

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. — Ephesians 2:10

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

The Psalmist reminded us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and that God created us with something definite planned for us to do with our lives (Psalm 139:13-15). We display his craftsmanship, his artistry, his skill when we intentionally live for him and not like the rest of the world. Paul deepens this truth in our verse today as he writes about being saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-10). We have been recreated in Christ Jesus to continue the good work of Jesus as we become more and more JESUShaped (Colossians 1:28-29) and as the Holy Spirit continues God’s transformative work in us, making us more and more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). So, let’s get about doing the work of Christ the Father created us to do!

My Prayer…

Master, Father, and Lord, please teach me to recognize your opportunities and your will when they come into my life. I want to live for you without reservation, doing the good work you created me to do. I pray for boldness to not be shy in sharing my faith. I pray for patience as I wait before I respond. I pray for your protection for those close to coming to Christ. I pray not for me but for your Kingdom to be displayed in my life by the way I live and the good things I do to your glory. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

We are God’s temple! God lives in us! We are a holy dwelling of the living and almighty God! WOW!
We were made Holy by the price Jesus paid to redeem us (1 Peter 1:18-20). So, now what we do in our bodies is part of the worship we give to God just as much as what we do when we get together with other Christians in worship (Romans 12:1-2). We are called to not only abstain from impurity, but we are called to glorify God in our bodies and honor the sacrifice of Jesus by living holy lives each day. This is worship because we are where God lives through his Spirit. Holy living is not a burden, but a way to say “Thank you!” and offer praise to God for what he has done for us and what he has made in us! We are the temple of God in the Holy Spirit!

My Prayer…

Father, I confess to you that I sometimes lose sight of how precious my body is to you and how important what I do with my body is in giving you thanks and praise. With physical temptations so near, I easily forget that it is a holy temple, a place of honor and worship that I offer to you. With aging and the other challenges that daily remind me that my body is a vessel of decay (2 Corinthians 4:16-18), I find it hard to believe that I can glorify you with it. Please, through your indwelling Spirit, quicken me to a deeper reverence and appreciation for your presence in me as you renew my body, your temple, day by day. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. — Psalm 119:14

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Our treasure and our truth come from God’s holy Scriptures. The Scriptures are God’s guidance for us and his treasures, given to us as the Holy Spirit leads us to understand and apply them as we reach to become more like Jesus (1 Corinthians 2:10-12). They teach us how to avoid the evil one’s harmful traps and to live God’s blessed life (2 Timothy 3:14-17). Rather than seeing God’s Scriptures as limiting us in this life, we need to see them as a gift of love to bless us, to prevent us from falling into the traps of this life, and to lead us into life forever with God. We can come to value them more highly than riches, for in them we will find our great reward, both in this life and the life to come (Psalm 19:11).

My Prayer…

Holy God, thank you for your written Word, the Scriptures, and your “living” Word (Hebrews 4:12), also the Scriptures when used by the Holy Spirit. May your truth come alive in my life just as it does in my heart and mind. In the name of your Son Jesus, your living Word who fulfilled the Scriptures, I pray. Amen.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. — Psalm 46:1

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Where can we go when it seems as if all our walls have fallen, all the protection we have has vanished, and our hearts feel as if all hope is lost? We can go to the eternal God, who is also our Abba Father (Romans 8:15-17). He preserved ancient Israel miraculously through their most difficult times in their history, protected the Scriptures from hordes of those who tried to eradicate them, and has led his Church victoriously through all her troubles, trials, and triumphs throughout the centuries. He will do the same with us until he brings us home to himself. For “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

My Prayer…

My Rock, My Hope and My Protector, I thank you for preserving my life. I thank you for hearing my cries for help and healing. I thank you for guiding my feet into ways that have been a blessing. Please, O God, stay close by as I face the stresses and challenges in my life. Through your Holy Spirit, enable me to grow and be an example to others as I pass through life’s storms. In the name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, I ask for your presence and blessing. Amen.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. — Luke 12:6-7

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

In a universe so vast, what is our little planet? On a planet so diverse and so full of life, what are simple, ordinary, and everyday people? Among all the billions of people alive and all those who have lived before us, what significance do I have among so many others?
Jesus reminds us that our significance is great-not because we are so important, but because we are known personally by God, who created us, has known us, and has had a purpose for us from the time of our conception (Psalm 139:13-16). We don’t have to be afraid; we are known and loved by the One who is and who was and who is to come! As born-of-God believers, we are God’s precious children (John 1:11-13, 3:3-7). He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6; Romans 8:38-39).

My Prayer…

Eternal God, Almighty Father, Tender Shepherd, and Abba Father, you already know my heart. You know where I struggle with sin. You know my struggles in life. You know my fears; please encourage and strengthen me. You know my immaturity; please nurture and mature me. You know my weakness and disease, please comfort and heal me. You also know my strengths, gifts, passions, and value. So, dear Father, please empower me, forgive me, and complete your transformation in me through the blessed Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). Holy God, I am both awed and comforted that you know me and love me. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. — Psalm 149:4

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Jesus left heaven and made himself a servant. No wonder God could say to him, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). God expressed his delight to his Son as he lived as an example of a servant (Mark 10:45). He did so to enable the last of this world to be counted as first in the Kingdom of God (Matthew 20:16). Jesus declared that the servant of others is greater than those who are served (Luke 22:25-27). Jesus demonstrated that those often considered the least important in our world are the most important to him (Matthew 25:40, 45). The arrogant, the abusive, and the parading powerful have found it easy to reject the call of Christ for centuries – after all, Jesus died for the sinful and the weak. They consider themselves “important” and feel that they do not need a Savior. However, those who are humble find Jesus to be Savior, Conqueror, King, and Deliverer. The Lord delights in such people and is glad to share his salvation with them. “You are my children,” he says to the servants, “you bring me delight!”

My Prayer…

Precious Servant and Almighty King, Jesus, thank you for serving us at great cost and showing us that the humble will one day reign with you. I look forward to the day every other knee will join mine as I bow before you as my Lord because you were first a servant of all (Philippians 2:6-11). Until that day, I pray that you will use me to bless those so often forgotten by our busy and glamour-intoxicated world. In the holy name of Jesus, I offer you my praise and thanks. Amen.

The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us. — Isaiah 33:22

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

When we think about God as our Judge, we normally think of falling under judgment and receiving punishment. Isaiah reminds us that God’s being our Judge means he will judge us according to his will, rule, and grace. He is on our side and is looking to save us, not condemn us (John 3:16-17). His commands are rightfully given as our Creator and King, yet given to us to protect us and bless us. Using the New Testament idiom, when we stand before our Judge, we see our loving Father, and at his right hand is our Savior, who gave his life for us (Hebrews 1:3). As Paul so beautifully told us:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back in fear, but you received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:14-16).

We don’t obey out of fear, we don’t fear the judge, but we obey because of loving appreciation for all that our Father has done to save us!

My Prayer…

Holy and Righteous Judge, I am glad that my fate, my future, and my life are in your hands. I know about your love for me because of the gift of Jesus. I know about your desire to save me because of your loving grace. I know your demand for holiness in me is met by the sacrifice of your Son. So God, I gladly and willingly trust my life, my soul, and my eternal future to you. I offer you my obedience in humble appreciation for all you have done for me. In Jesus’ name, I thank you. Amen.

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. — Psalm 119:160

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

The requirements of morality and holiness are not temporary or fleeting because they reflect the nature of our Holy God, who is eternal. They don’t shift with the wishes of culture or the trends proposed by the so-called enlightened. God’s truth is true across cultures, times, and wishes. We do not adapt God’s will to our times, but we redeem our times by adapting our wills to his truth.

My Prayer…

Righteous God Almighty, may my life reflect your righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful love and justice. You, your nature, and your values are forever, and I want to invest my life in what endures and is eternal. Please give me wisdom to see through the fleeting temptations of today, the fads of culture, and the degradations of morality, as I seek to do what honors you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. — Psalm 119:130

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Years ago, before GPS, driving to a distant place required a map, and sometimes several maps. As you journeyed to that place, the route became increasingly more straightforward as you unfolded the map and found your destination. Sometimes the right path is not so difficult to find; we need to know where to begin our search. We need to unfold our map by reading God’s words. As we unfold them, the way we should travel in life becomes increasingly clearer. The right way is very seldom just the property of the bright, wise, and scholarly; it can be very clear for any of us who choose to look for it in God’s words, and then unfold them so God can get us to his destination for us.

My Prayer…

O holy Father, thank you for making your will known through your words in Scripture. Bless me as I open your Word, as I listen to your words, and as I focus on your will. I ask that the Holy Spirit guide me in understanding those words and that the Spirit lead me as I seek to live your will. May I find not only the answer to my questions, but also find you and your precious will as I unfold your words. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.

This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it — the Lord is his name: Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. — Jeremiah 33:2-3

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

In a universe of billions of stars, think of the power of God who made them and knows each of their names. Think of all he knows that we don’t. Think of all he has seen that is not in our history books. Think of all he has done and can do and will do. Add to this that he invites us to speak to him about the things of our hearts and understands what is in our hearts. He even allows us to ask him to reveal to us what we don’t know. And he invites each of us to come to know him (John 17:3) – not just know about him, but to know him! He invites us to become his children (John 1:12-13), and he promises to let us share in his glory (Colossians 3:2-4). Ah! This Lord is incredible, so let’s ask him the great and unsearchable things we do not know!

My Prayer…

Almighty God, there are so many things about which I am incredibly ignorant. There are so many things in my world that I can’t comprehend. There are so many things about you that I long to know, but I can’t even begin to imagine. Please, dear Father, give me more of you. Help me get to know you better so that I may know you more completely. Help me know what you would like me to know. I readily confess: you are beyond me, so please be gentle with my limitations as you reveal your majesty and greatness. I look forward with anticipation to knowing you – the Unsearchable and the Almighty God, my Abba Father, whom I will get to know face-to-face in glory. In Jesus’ name, I anticipate this day with great expectation. Amen.

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. — 1 Samuel 16:7

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Have you ever wondered how many potentially good friends you may have lost simply by judging them on your first impression of them? And how many people that you looked at that seemed to be remarkable, ended up turning out to be not very good people? I’m amazed at how the first impression we have of many people very seldom tells us much about their substance. We’re not really going to be able to evaluate people properly until the Lord reveals what is really in their hearts at judgment. But we also know that what comes out of people’s mouths and what we see in their behavior emanate from their hearts (Matthew 15:18-19). Over time, we do get to see what their hearts are about: their hearts reveal the person inside them. So, don’t you think that we should give people time to reveal what is in their hearts before we decide about them? Let’s not judge people prematurely by their outward appearances; let’s give them time to reveal their hearts! And let’s remember that God knows and will judge each of us by our hearts, and not by our appearances (Proverbs 16:2, 17:3).

My Prayer…

Father, you alone know each heart. Please help me be more patient with others before forming an opinion about them. Please give me eyes to see them as Jesus does and treat them as I would love to be treated. Father, I don’t want to make preliminary judgments about people, good or bad. Please help me be patient as I wait to see their hearts come to light in the way they talk to others and in their behaviors. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. — James 1:22

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

What we know and what we believe are not all that significant if they do not show up in the way we live our daily lives. Unfortunately, most of us know more truth than we obey. Pure and simple, faith not lived out in everyday life is not genuine faith; it is a facade (James 2:14-15, 17, 18, 20). Just as Jesus had told us to put into practice what we have learned from him (Matthew 7:23-27), his brother James reminds us of the same thing: when we learn the truth of God’s word, there is only one thing left for us to do: obey it and put it into practice!

My Prayer…

Holy God, please help us put into practice what we know to be your will for us and the truth you have given to us. And please, dear Lord, help us do it with passion today, and to do it day after day, until we come into your presence in glory. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. — Psalm 119:114

Thoughts on Today’s Verse….

Where can we go to remain secure from the onslaught of bad ideas, evil influences, and false hopes perpetrated by social media? We can go to God and his Word, the Scriptures, and to Jesus, who is the fulfillment of these Scriptures and is the Living Word (John 1:1-18). While people can be disloyal and misguided, God has proven his faithfulness through his word, in sending Jesus, and by keeping his loving promises. He promises never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6; Romans 8:38-39), and his truth and his promises stand forever. God is our refuge, shield, fortress, strong foundation, and rock as we give our hearts to the Word of God.

My Prayer…

Almighty God, you alone are trustworthy. You keep your word and fulfill your promises. Forgive me when I trust my own insight and the wisdom of others rather than seeking your will in your Word. Please give me your wisdom as I seek your will and trust in your promises. In the name of Jesus, your ultimate Word, I pray. Amen.