Category: Verse of the Day

The Creation of “YOU”

Promise #124:  
I gently formed you in your mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13 (WEB)
For you formed my inmost being.
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

The New International Version Bible says Psalm 139:13 this way… For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. The New Living Translation says… You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  No matter what translation you prefer, this is a gentle picture of God’s loving creation process.

You were not blasted into creation, but gently formed in your mother’s womb by a loving God who took the time to delicately knit all your inward parts together. May the revelation of your creation bring a sense of well being to your soul. You were not a mistake. God planned you before the foundation of the world and He determined the exact time of your birth.

One of the greatest tragedies in this world today is the feeling that our lives were a mistake. Some people were even told that by their parents. The truth is that no life was ever a mistake. Each person ever created, was created with intention by the One who is love itself.

God gently formed you in your mother’s womb and He is the One who brought you forth on the day you were born. (Psalm 71:6) There is absolutely no doubt about it!

How to define and apply love in our lives

Matthew 22:37-39
New International Version
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

God’s plans give us hope and a future

Jeremiah 29:11-13
New International Version
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Read at Bible Gateway
Read all of Jeremiah 29

NOTHING can separate us from the love of God

New International Version

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Read at Bible Gateway

Read all of Romans 8

Who is in you!

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

Remember this verse as we go into the next year!

May God bless all of you, as we embrace Him and each other.

Jesus is our center!

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Phil Ware

Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

Jesus is our center! He is the hub around which we turn. Rather than trying to add on to the truth of Jesus, we must learn to accept it and trust it in child-like faith. But that child-like faith must be nourished and grown. As Jesus remains our central focus and our hearts remain thankful to God for his grace, we will that our faith is strengthened and that Jesus is more real than ever.

Prayer…

Holy and Righteous God, please give me eyes to see evil and avoid it. Please give me wisdom to know deceptive and false teaching when it is placed before me. Empower me to live a thankful life of holiness so that I can live in Jesus to your honor and glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

The Gift

Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

As a child, I loved to receive gifts. In such a simple time of life, a gift meant I was loved. I didn’t worry about the significance or hidden message in a gift. I wasn’t concerned about the “strings attached” to the gift. It was just a gift — a free expression of love I didn’t deserve, given to me by someone who truly cared for me. Isn’t it great to get to be God’s child and receive his gift and know we can receive it as a child?!

Prayer…

Thank you, generous Father, for the gift of grace, the gift of faith, the gift of salvation, and most of all, the gift of Jesus. I know I can never repay these gifts, but I look forward to saying “Thank you!” through my lifestyle now and I look forward to continuing to say “Thank you!” through all eternity. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

~ Phil Ware

Verse of the Day – 2/2/12

From inside the fish Jonah prayed … “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.”
—Jonah 2:1-2 (NIV)

Phil Ware

Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

Jonah was disobedient, rebellious, and selfish. He had run from the Lord. He had shunned the Lord’s command. He had endangered the lives of those on the ship where he had tried to hide. Yet even in the middle of his rebellion, God heard his cry and delivered him. If you are in rebellion, if you are seeking to hide some secret and all-consuming sin, please know the Lord wants to ransom and redeem you! Things won’t be easy, but coming back to the Lord means ultimate redemption and deliverance.

Prayer…

Holy and righteous Father, please forgive me for the times that I am in rebellion to your will. Help me to recognize those times and give me the strength to avoid those temptations. In your grace, dear Father, please not only help me to live as you want me to live but also lead me to someone else who needs to know of your grace and redemption. Please use me to help them escape from their bondage to sin and shame. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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Verse of the Day – January 24, 2012

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you
before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to
the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and
forevermore! Amen.
— Jude 1:24-25
http://www.BibleStudyTools.com/search/?query=Jude+1:24-25

THOUGHT:
What a great cluster of truths are found in this one prayer of
blessing. Our eyes are first drawn to what God can do for us —
prevent us from falling and present us before his glorious presence
in joyful perfection. But on closer inspection, our hearts are
drawn to the description of our incredible God: the one who is
able, the only God, our Savior, the one who lives in glory and
majesty and power and authority, the one who has communicated to us
through Jesus our Lord, and the one who exists before all ages and
who is alive now and who will be forevermore. Our blessings as
God’s children are incredible, but the reason why they are is that
our God is beyond incredible, awesome, and wonderful. Our words
cannot do him justice. Our brightest insights cannot comprehend the
glory he has. Yet despite his grandeur, he loves you and me in our
finite mortality!

PRAYER:
Awesome and Holy Lord Most High, thank you for not only being
God, but for loving me and showing yourself to me in the face of
Jesus. I look forward to standing in your presence, enjoying your
shared perfection, and praising your glory with the angels. Please
accept my limited and human praise until the day my words are
unchained from their mortality and my imperfections are swallowed
up in your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Verse of the Day – Let’s not let generosity and concern for those less fortunate be a once a year thing!

VERSE:
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf,
do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless
and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the
work of your hands.
— Deuteronomy 24:19
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Deuteronomy+24:19

THOUGHT:
This is clearly a passage old Scrooge hadn’t seen! God has
always set aside a provision for the poor. In this time of the year
when many people the world over take special time to look after those
who are less fortunate, let’s open our date books and schedule a
week to dedicate time for special generosity in May and in August
to go with a heart committed to be generous all the time. Let’s not
let generosity and concern for those less fortunate be a once a
year thing!

PRAYER:
For all of your wonderful gifts of kindness and grace, I thank
you, dear Father and God. Please stir my heart to care for others
as you do. Please help me keep that spirit of concern alive all
year long and not just around Christmas time. In Jesus’ name I ask
this. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111213

Verse of the Day – November 30

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with
thanksgiving.
    — Psalm 69:30
       http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Psalm+69:30

THOUGHT:
   When was the last time you sang praises to God outside a church
or devotional service? Why not open up the Psalms and find several
verses that reflect your own praise and thanks to God and give them
a tune — your own tune! God doesn’t care if your spiritual gift is
music or not; he’s just listening for your heart to be full of joy
as you share your praise and thanksgiving with him.

PRAYER:
   O gracious Father, giver of every good and perfect gift, forgive
me for relegating my thanksgiving and praise to special days and
special places. I praise you for creating your human children with
the capacity to celebrate goodness, to rejoice in your creation,
and to have the capacity for praise and thanksgiving. Thank you for
making our world so full of reasons to offer thanks to you, our
Abba Father and Creator. As you continually fill me with your
Spirit, may my heart overflow with songs of praise and words of
thanksgiving. In Jesus’ holy name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111130

Verse of the Day – November 28 – Do everything without complaining or arguing

VERSE:
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may
become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a
crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in
the universe.
— Philippians 2:14-15
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Philippians+2:14-15

THOUGHT:
“Don’t complain or argue!” We don’t normally associate these
things with purity and blamelessness. Paul was extraordinarily
close to the Philippians and knew them well. He knew their
weaknesses and shortcomings. He also knew the destructive power
that complaining and arguing have on the life of an otherwise
vibrant community of Christians. Let’s heed his warning today, as
we see church after church taken under by the negative and cynical
spirit that pervades modern culture.

PRAYER:
Forgive me and cleanse me, O God, from my argumentative spirit.
Please empower me with your Spirit to use my speech only to bless
and to build up, never to tear down or discourage. In Jesus’ name I
pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111128

Verse of the Day – November 10, 2011

VERSE:
For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the
dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my
blessing on your descendants.
— Isaiah 44:3
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Isaiah+44:3

THOUGHT:
Growing up in West Texas in part of my early years, I certainly
know what “thirsty land” truly is. The black dirt shrinks, leaving
deep cracks in the ground. All the grass turns yellow, then brown,
and then dies. A wisp of breeze stirs swirls of dust over the
barren land. When the downpour finally comes, the “thirsty land”
swallows voluminous amounts of water as the rain runs off the wet
surface and finds its way into the deep cracks left from the
drought. The ground swells, the grass comes back to life, and life
is replenished. In a barren spiritual wasteland, God’s Holy Spirit
pours out his blessing, brings times of refreshment, and
replenishes our thirsty hearts.

PRAYER:
Generous and loving Father, thank you for so many blessings you
have poured into my life. Most of all, dear Father, thank you for
the blessing of your presence, your strength, your grace, and your
refreshment given to me through your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I
thank you. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111110

Verse of the Day – November 9

VERSE:
God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things
beyond our understanding.
— Job 37:5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Job+37:5

THOUGHT:
How does God help us know his will? Clearly God has given us the
Scriptures and the Holy Spirit to help us understand the
Scriptures. What about more subtle and less defined ways? Most of
us have had a “cluster of divine coincidences” (several events in
close proximity to prayer): a friend calls/writes at just the right
time; we read an article or hear a sermon that has a comment or two
directed at just the area of our concern or confusion; several
songs in worship convict us in the area on which we are seeking the
Lord’s guidance; or we simply feel a pull on our conscience that
helps us discern right from wrong in a difficult situation. God
really means it when he says that if we will pray for wisdom
without doubting he’ll give it to us and that if we are truly
seeking him we will find him. His voice does thunder in marvelous
ways!

PRAYER:
Holy God, please help me discern your will about several
important matters in my life. I don’t want to make my decisions
based on my limited human wisdom. Please lead me by your Spirit in
the direction you want me to go and use me to bring you glory and
praise. Thank you for caring about my life enough to show me your
way more clearly. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Verse of the Day – God longs to give us a truly great and wonderful gift: his presence in us through his Holy Spirit

VERSE:
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him
who knocks, the door will be opened.
— Luke 11:10
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Luke+11:10

THOUGHT:
God answers prayers! Recent research in the recovery of surgery
patients for whom others prayed seems to validate this. Our
experience suggests it is true. The Bible promises us that it is
so. But Luke emphasizes one specific answer to prayer that
God-seekers receive. God longs to give us a truly great and
wonderful gift: his presence in us through his Holy Spirit (vs.
13). Because of the indwelling Spirit, God can do unimaginable
things for us and through us.

PRAYER:
Loving Father, the sacrifice of your Son for my sins is a truly
incredible gift. The blessing of salvation through Jesus is more
wonderful than words. The gracious gift of your presence in me
through your Holy Spirit is comforting and empowering. Thank you
for your assurance that as I seek you, you are eager to bless me.
In Jesus’ name I thank and praise you. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111103

Verse of the Day – Let’s support one another in our faith

VERSE:
They preached the good news in that city and won a large number
of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,
strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to
the faith.
— Acts 14:21-22
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Acts+14:21-22

THOUGHT:
Do you know a new Christian? Paul and Barnabas remind us that it
is difficult becoming a Christian; there are hard times for new
Christians! So let’s make sure we don’t just share the Gospel with
them. Let’s also stand by them, check on them, strengthen them, and
encourage them.

PRAYER:
Loving Father, please be with the new Christians in our church.
Use me to be a source of encouragement to them and strength for
them. May my life always be a positive influence on them and other
new Christians as well. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111030

Verse of the Day – Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did

VERSE:
This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him
must walk as Jesus did.
— 1 John 2:5-6
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+John+2:5-6

THOUGHT:
Do you want to know who walks with Jesus each day? Look for
folks whose lives look like his! Do you want to walk with Jesus?
Look at his life in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
See how he treated people; then do the same! Notice how he defeated
Satan and overcame temptation. Trust that you can do the same! As
you do these things, you will find that Jesus is not only walking
with you, he is also working through you!

PRAYER:
Stir my spirit, O God, and empower me with your Spirit to live a
life of integrity and purity like Jesus. Please give me a heart for
people, dear Father, like your Son Jesus has. Help me to not only
see their needs and hear their cries, but to also respond with love
and compassion. In the name of my Savior Jesus, I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111020

Verse of the Day – We can’t be right with God and be wrong with people

My note: I thought the author of this devotional hit it right on the head. I had never thought of it that way before. I hope that the message below stirs your heart, as it did mine, to use the filter “we can’t be right with God and be wrong with people” on a daily basis to make sure our attitudes are in keeping with the Word of God and His purpose for our lives.

~~~

VERSE:
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Administer true justice;
show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow
or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not
think evil of each other.”
— Zechariah 7:9-10
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Zechariah+7:9-10

THOUGHT:
Do you want a clear, simple, straightforward word from the Lord
today? That’s what Zechariah gives us.

He reminds us that God wants us to be

fair,

compassionate,

caring,

without prejudice, and

tenderhearted to those in need,

and to give each other the benefit of the doubt.

In other words, he wants us to treat each other like Christ treated people.

Why?

Because we can’t be right with God and be wrong with people!

PRAYER:
Loving Father, please forgive me for the times I’ve gotten
bogged down with hard-to-understand verses in Scripture and ignored
your clear teaching on how to live. Please give me the opportunity
this week to live like you have commanded me. In the future, when
my heart grows cold or my response to others is not what it should
be, please use your Spirit to bring to my remembrance this passage
so that I might live it to your glory. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111019

He has given us strength

The verse of the day reminds us why we have a ministry and the strength that the Holy Spirit gives us to serve.

The last few weeks have been extremely difficult because Erick and I have both been sick with some kind of bug.  We are still physically weak, which exacerbates all of our efforts. And, of course, it affects even our ability to post messages. Yesterday, I didn’t even come to the computer at all.  This too will pass, but in the meantime, it’s evident how much our strength comes from the Lord. Physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Today, as I looked at our site stats, I was so humbled. Regardless of what we feel like doing, our Lord is bringing us here to be refreshed by His Word.

It is not us as people who increase, it is He who does the increase.

We are His servants. We simply obey.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for your encouragement. And thanks to God, most of all, for bringing us all together.

~~~

VERSE:
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that
he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
— 1 Timothy 1:12
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Timothy+1:12

THOUGHT:
We minister by grace. We are saved and made holy by God’s grace
given us in Jesus. We are declared holy and blameless before God
because of the grace of Jesus. We are given a gift to use in
ministry for the Church because of the grace of Jesus. We are given
strength from the Holy Spirit to persevere during difficult times
because of the grace of God in Jesus. So what ministry we find
ourselves capable of performing, what opportunities we have to
serve and make a difference in people’s lives, and what power we
have in fulfilling our ministry are all given to us. It is not
something to boast about. The Lord’s power is made perfect in
weakness as we offer ourselves to him to be used for his glory.

PRAYER:
Glorify your name, O God my Eternal Father. Thank you for Jesus
who has redeemed me, gifted me, strengthened me, led me, and
empowered me to serve. May you be glorified in all that I say and
do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111018

Verse of the Day – He longs to do great things through us

VERSE:
“`If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who
believes.”
— Mark 9:23
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Mark+9:23

THOUGHT:
Jesus is the ultimate one “who believes.” All things ARE
possible for him. Guess what? He longs to do great things through
us, too! In fact, he promised he would do even greater things
through us than he did himself because he is now at the Father’s
side helping us! (See John 14:12-14.) So isn’t it time that we quit
talking about what we can’t do, and start believing in the one who
can do great things? Paul put it this way: God can do “more than we
can ask or imagine by his power at work in us.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

PRAYER:
Great Almighty God, Ruler of the nations, Creator of the
universe, and Lord of all things, please forgive me. Forgive me for
my wimpy and limited prayers. Forgive me for getting involved in
petty quarrels over mundane and irrelevant things. Forgive me for
my spiritual lack of vision. Please stir me by your Spirit. Please
open my eyes so that I can see what you long to do through me.
Please empower me to be a powerful witness to our world trapped in
darkness. Please give me incredible dreams for your Kingdom, then
astound me by doing far more than I ever imagined. In the name of
Jesus, and to your glory, I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111016

Verse of the Day – Who is your greatest friend?

VERSE:
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend
who sticks closer than a brother.
— Proverbs 18:24
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Proverbs+18:24

THOUGHT:
Who are your closest friends? Good friends are hard to come by
in a world of superficial acquaintances and shallow relationships.
“Hanging with the crowd” can give us a false sense of belonging,
but often leaves us wounded and alone in times of trouble. Open,
honest, supportive, and loving relationships don’t happen without
investment. Ask the Lord to lead you to close friends in his
family. Minister to and serve those around you. Listen to their
requests, faithfully upholding them in prayer. Spend time in
Christian service with other servant believers. Join yourself to a
Bible study or accountability group. As you do, trust that God will
give you that “stick-through-thick-and-thin-friend.” Companions are
easy to find, but can be unreliable. Development of Christian
friends is an investment of effort and time, but they are friends
with whom we will share forever.

PRAYER:
Precious God, I thank you for my friends (include the names of
friends). Please, dear Father, lead me into the life of someone
this week who needs me to be his or her friend. Bless all those who
read Today’s Verse with a Christian friend that will help them in
their walk with you. Thank you so much, dear Father, for my
greatest friend, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111015

Verse of the Day – I hunger for the day when I can see your splendor face to face

VERSE:
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before
him, all the earth.
— Psalm 96:9
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Psalm+96:9

THOUGHT:
Don’t you really appreciate the phrase “the splendor of his
holiness” and long to behold that splendor? It conjures up
reminders of Isaiah’s encounter with God in Isaiah 6 or John’s
vision of Jesus in Revelation 1. God’s essence — known in the Old
Testament as his glory and his holiness — can be described only as
splendorous! Our only fitting response is to join the angels of
Isaiah 6 and the twenty-four elders around the throne in Revelation
and worship God and cry, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God
Almighty. The whole earth is full of his glory.”

PRAYER:
You are holy, majestic God, more than my mind can grasp or my
imagination can dream. I worship and praise you for your glory,
might, grace, and mercy. I hunger for the day when I can see your
splendor face to face and join the angels of heaven and the
twenty-four elders in never ending worship and praise. Through
Jesus I offer this praise and my life. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111011

Verse of the Day – Under His Wings We will find Refuge

VERSE:
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you
will find refuge …
— Psalm 91:4
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Psalm+91:4

THOUGHT:
Life is filled with many uncertainties. You never know when
something unexpected is going to happen. You have no idea when the
next disaster will strike. In a world filled with hate and
terrorism, none of us has a clue when the next horrible atrocity
will take place. So what do we do when we can’t be sure of our
circumstances? We take shelter under the wing of the One who is
above all circumstances! We take assurance in our Father who has
promised to bring us to himself no matter what may happen today …
in our world … and to our bodies. Our lives are hidden with our
Father because we’ve been joined to Christ. He is our Refuge! His
wings are our shelter!

PRAYER:
Father, what words can I offer that are sufficient to thank and
praise you for your deliverance that is greater than death? You are
the Alpha and the Omega. You are the God who was and is and is to
come. You are my Abba Father, who has adopted me and made me your
own. I place my trust, my hope, and future in you and I will not be
afraid. I find my refuge under your wings! All praise to you in the
name of Jesus. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111009

Verse of the Day – Sometimes the greatest of all wonders wrap their tiny fingers around our own and capture our hearts

VERSE:
Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you —
majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
— Exodus 15:11
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Exodus+15:11

THOUGHT:
With whom do you compare the incomparable? How do you grasp the
infinite with a finite mind? When the quintessence of majesty is
the God you contemplate, how can you ever speak of majesty about
anything else? God exhausts our superlatives. God’s glory bewilders
our imaginations. God’s greatness exceeds our wildest dreams. He is
beyond what we can know or believe. Yet the Wonder of all his
wonders is simply this: he limited himself to a baby, swaddled by
loving parents in strips of cloth, and placed in a feed trough
because there was no room for them in the inn. Sometimes the
greatest of all wonders are not the ones that require our biggest
and best words. Sometimes the greatest of all wonders wrap their
tiny fingers around our own and capture our hearts.

PRAYER:
I do not know how to understand your incredible love for us, yes
even for me. How could you enter our world in baby Jesus? Like the
Magi, I bow and worship you, Lord Jesus, and our Father who sent
you. Who is like you, O God? Nobody is even close. Yet for some
reason known only to your grace, you have brought us close. I
praise you for your majesty and I praise you for your manger. To
your glory, precious Jesus, and in your name, I offer this praise.
Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20111007

Verse of the Day – Can you trust what you don’t see?

VERSE:
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you
do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an
inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of
your faith, the salvation of your souls.
— 1 Peter 1:8-9
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Peter+1:8-9

THOUGHT:
Can you trust what you don’t see? Of course! What kind of
question is that? Our lives depend on what we cannot see — things
like gravity and the air we breathe, just to name two. Faith in
Jesus is as natural as faith in each of those things. The problem
is that our hearts are skeptical. We find it hard to believe that
anyone divine would love us so much. Our experience says, “If it
seems too good to be true, it is.” That skepticism is just the
twisted form of the response God longs to see from us:
“inexpressible and glorious joy.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve
tasted both. I prefer joy over skepticism!

PRAYER:
What joy fills my heart, Father, when I anticipate what it will
be like to be in your presence — to have you wipe each tear from
my eyes and to have you introduce me again to those I love and to
those I’ve only known by reputation. Please never let me outlive
that sense of anticipation and never let that hope dim in my heart,
no matter what else may happen in my life here. In Jesus’ name I
pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110930

Verse of the Day – join us in going to the great celebration of grace and salvation at his return!

VERSE:
The inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, “Let us
go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself
am going.”
— Zechariah 8:21
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Zechariah+8:21

THOUGHT:
This Messianic message from Zechariah anticipates the day of the
LORD’s redemption. Many different peoples, from all over the world,
will come looking for the great mercy of God. God’s people will
have one key phrase on their hearts: “Let’s go seek the presence of
God. I’m going; why don’t you join me?” As believers, we know Jesus
has come, has died, and has been raised from the dead. We know
Jesus is returning with salvation for all who truly know and follow
him. Let’s ask others to join us in going to the great celebration
of grace and salvation at his return!

PRAYER:
Loving Father, I seek your presence daily in my life. Without
your guidance, love, holiness, and truth, I would be lost and
confused. Knowing that my destiny is with you, I look forward to
seeing you face to face as your child. Please lead me to those who
do not know you, but who are seeking you. Give me eyes to see them,
ears to hear their cry, and wisdom to know how to share your grace.
Use me to prepare them to meet you at the great Day of Redemption
that is coming with your Son. In the name of Christ Jesus my Lord.
Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110927

Verse of the Day – What difference does it make if we praise him?

VERSE:
You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest
heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on
it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything,
and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
— Nehemiah 9:6
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Nehemiah+9:6

THOUGHT:
Our praise is pretty irrelevant to everyone and everything but
us, those closest to us, and amazingly to God. In a universe so
vast, so much bigger than Nehemiah could have imagined, what is our
small voice and our song of praise? The billions of stars and
innumerable creatures of the immense seas all cry out that our
Creator is LORD. God will receive the worship of the angels and all
the heavenly beings. What difference does it make if we praise him?
To the universe, to be blunt, it doesn’t matter. But it does to us!
It matters even more to the LORD, who longs to be our Father and
wants to bring us into relationship with himself.

PRAYER:
Holy and amazing God, you alone are Lord — Lord of all creation
and Lord of my life. You are praised by all you have made. Your
works cry out and declare your creative genius and your loving
kindness. Father, I want to add my heartfelt praise to the chorus
of creation, the voices of the angels, and the praise of many who
have come before me. You are truly worthy to be praised. I gladly
offer you my words, my songs, my heart, and my life. In Jesus’
name. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110926

Without wood a fire goes out

Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies
down.
— Proverbs 26:20
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Proverbs+26:20

THOUGHT:
Ol’ Smokey The Bear said: “Only you can prevent forest fires!”
Basically, that’s what the Wiseman says about gossip. We can turn
down the heat, douse the fire, and let the quarrel die. How? By not
supplying juicy morsels of gossip, by ditching the urge to spread
destructive innuendo, and by refusing to keep alive an ugly rumor.
Without gossip, the bitterness of a rivalry can dissolve and
relationships can mend.

PRAYER:
Forgive me, O God, for the times I have kept gossip alive or
have entertained the conversation of a gossip. Please bless and
heal those whom I have wounded with my participation in gossip.
Give me the strength to say only what is helpful to bless others,
the courage to mend the relationships that I have damaged because
of reckless words, and the wisdom to know how to discourage those
seeking to spread gossip. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110924

Verse of the Day – We will see God face to face

VERSE:
Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may return; renew our
days as of old.
— Lamentations 5:21
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Lamentations+5:21

THOUGHT:
When these words were first spoken, they focused on God’s
restoration of Israel back to its place, its prominence, its life,
and its Temple. Yet from our vantage point, this prayer can be ours
as well. Restoration can mean Christ’s return which brings us home
to God. On that day, every barrier standing between God and us will
fall. Our mortality will be swallowed up in victory. We will see
God face to face and get to walk with him in the cool of the day as
his perfect children. May that day come soon!

PRAYER:
Holy and awesome God, I know a huge gulf stands between your
perfection and my limitations. Yet, dear Father, I believe you have
spanned that gulf with your grace. While I wait for that perfection
to dawn in all its fullness, please empower me for my battles with
the Evil One and deliver me from all spiritual harm and attack.
Until the day I see you face to face, please accept my
all-too-limited and human praise for all you have done to save me.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110921

Verse of the Day – Our seeking God longs to be sought!

VERSE:
[The apostle Paul said,] “God did this so that men would seek
him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not
far from each one of us.”
— Acts 17:27
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Acts+17:27

THOUGHT:
Our seeking God longs to be sought! God placed his fingerprints
all over the universe and then gave us places to find life and
meaning. He had a purpose in this plan: he wanted us to seek the
One behind it all. He is never far away from us, but he longs to be
sought and found. When we seek after God, we are not only blessing
him, we’re also living out our life’s key task.

PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I long to know you more completely — as the
old hymn says to Jesus: “Beyond the sacred page, I seek thee Lord.
My spirit pants for thee O living Word.” Loving Father, I ask that
your presence would be recognizable in my daily life. I truly want
to get to know you, even as I am known by you. In the name of the
Savior I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110920

Verse of the Day – Value others above yourselves

Philippians 2:3-4

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Read at Bible Gateway

Read all of Philippians 2

Hard to do sometimes, especially if others are giving us a hard time.

However, we are called to love the Lord our God with all our

heart, soul, mind and strength,

and our neighbor as ourself.

It goes along with “Do unto others as you

would have them do to you”.

With humility that comes from our Lord,

we can look at others with the

right attitude.

YSIC,

Sharon

Verse of the Day – Who are you trying to please?

VERSE:
[Jesus said,] “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I
hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but
him who sent me.”
— John 5:30
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=John+5:30

THOUGHT:
“So who you tryin’ to please, anyway?” These words of my dad
still ring in my ears. His point? There are only two we MUST
please: (1) our Father in heaven, because all praise and honor is
due to him, and (2) ourselves, because we want to know that we’ve
done the best we could do and been the best we could be. But I
guess I’ve learned over the years that I can’t begin to do the
second of those very well without seeking the first one. Don’t you
hope that someday you reach the place where you can join Jesus in
saying with absolute assurance: “I seek not to please myself but
him who sent me!” The closer we approach that reality, the more we
realize that we can’t do anything of eternal significance on our
own. Only when we live to honor God do we find the significance and
have the impact that our lives were made to have.

PRAYER:
Almighty and Righteous Father, I know that without you I can do
nothing that is of lasting significance. I have tried my own way
and failed. I have sought my own good and seen my success
short-lived. I want to live now, today and the rest of my life to
please you. As I do this, I am confident that you will provide what
I need and that you will empower me to do what you would have me
do. In Jesus’ name I thank you. Amen.

Verse of the Day – Show respect for the elderly and revere your God

VERSE:
Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly
and revere your God. I am the LORD.
— Leviticus 19:32
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Leviticus+19:32

THOUGHT:
In an age where respect is little known and even less practiced,
showing honor for those who are older is often overlooked. Yet in
this place, by the LORD’s own word, showing respect for the elderly
ranks right up there with reverencing God. But then we shouldn’t be
surprised, since God made honoring parents the very first
commandment (in the Ten Commandments — Exodus 20) directed at our
relationship with others — the first four commandments were
directed at our relationship with him!

PRAYER:
Holy and Eternal God, thank you for my parents in the flesh and
in the faith. Please give those who have been my spiritual mentors
a special blessing. Without their guidance, I’m not sure where I
would have ended up. Help me as I grow older to not only mature,
but to also gain the character that will be needed by those whom
you have placed before me to influence. May we, young and old
alike, restore dignity and respect to our relationships before you
in our generation. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Verse of the Day – Be of one in spirit and mind with Jesus

 

 

Philippians 2:1-2

[Imitating Christ’s Humility] Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in 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 of one mind.

Read at Bible Gateway

Read all of Philippians 2

 

Verse of the Day – First seek the counsel of the Lord

VERSE:
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the
counsel of the LORD.”
— 1 Kings 22:5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Kings+22:5

THOUGHT:
This verse is from the wonderful story of Micaiah the prophet.
Jehoshaphat knew not to trust the counsel of false prophets. He was
adamant that before they went into battle with anyone, God’s people
needed to first seek the counsel of the Lord! This should also be
our approach to life. So often we ask God to bless what we’ve
already decided rather than spending time in prayer, fasting, and
Scripture seeking our Father’s will. Let’s not rush our decisions.
God has promised that he would lead us with his Spirit; let’s not
rush the Spirit’s input, or even worse, ignore it and then ask God
to bless us anyway!

PRAYER:
Holy and Almighty God, ruler of all nations and Sovereign over
all creation, please guide my decisions as I seek your will and
your glory. I want my life, my family, my work, and my ministry to
be lived in your will. I want to be your servant and not seek my
own way and my own glory. Thank you for sending your Spirit to help
illuminate your Word and lead me and to equip and empower me to
serve you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Our God is an awesome God

VERSE:
Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all
blessing and praise.
— Nehemiah 9:5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Nehemiah+9:5

THOUGHT:
God loves to hear our praises and songs of adoration. He longs
to hear us call him Abba Father and King of the Ages. But better
than all the praise we can muster and higher than the highest
sounds of angels is something higher still: the very name of God.
Let’s make a commitment to revere and hold as holy the name of our
glorious God!

PRAYER:
Almighty God, Father of compassion and Creator of the Universe,
I praise you for exerting your will on our world. Now, dear Father,
please make your will clearly demonstrable in my life as I seek to
live for you so that your name will be exalted. In the holy name of
Jesus I pray. Amen.

Verse of the Day – Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists

(Note: The Bible is very clear in different passages warning us not to seek out mediums or spiritists. Even Astrology, Ouija boards, palm readers, ghost hunters are considered to be in those categories. So we should be aware of anything that would be in defiance of God’s Word.

Defile means:
1. to make foul, dirty, or unclean; pollute; taint; debase.
2.  to violate the chastity of.)

VERSE:
Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be
defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
— Leviticus 19:31
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Leviticus+19:31

THOUGHT:
Our world has a re-emerging fascination with the occult and the
world of demons and witchcraft. It’s easy for us to react in one of
two dangerous ways: to downplay the reality of these things or to
dabble in them as matters of entertainment or amusement. God wants
us to know that these fascinations are dangerous because the evil
entities behind them are real and when we involve ourselves in
them, they defile us. God alone is God and is to be worshiped
without rival by his people.

PRAYER:
Holy and magnificent God, thank you for breaking the power and
hold of evil powers through Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.
Please deliver those whom I know and love that are entrapped in one
way or another with a fascination with false gods and deceiving and
destructive spirits. Empower your Church with your Spirit; please
cleanse us and make us a holy people, undefiled and ready for your
service. In the name of the Lord Jesus I pray. Amen.

Verse of the Day – Seek the good of others

VERSE:
Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
— 1 Corinthians 10:24
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Corinthians+10:24

THOUGHT:
Isn’t it amazing how the more we try to fix things for
ourselves, the more we focus on “looking out for number 1,” and the
more we also find ourselves isolated from meaningful relationships
that make life worth living. “If you want to have a friend, then be
a friend,” the saying goes. You know what? It’s right! It’s easy to
seek what is only for our own good. That’s what most folks do as a
matter of course. But what makes Christians redemptive, what makes
them like God, is their willingness to think of others before
themselves!

PRAYER:
Father, forgive me, because I know that I am often selfish and
seldom think through the implications of my decisions based on the
needs of others. I want to have the mind of Christ and be more
selfless and sacrificial with everyone who needs your grace and the
tenderness that you have placed within me to share with them.
Please bless me as I seek to be like your Son in this area of my
life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Related articles

Verse of the Day – Live a quiet life

VERSE:
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own
business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that
your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you
will not be dependent on anybody.
— 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=1+Thessalonians+4:11-12

THOUGHT:
What’s your ambition? I don’t know about you, but I’m not so
sure I could say my ambition is to “live a quiet life ….” But
when I hear the reason for that directive, I understand. So many
people I meet are frazzled, run down, and exhausted with all their
“busy-ness.” So let’s make a commitment to cycle down a little,
trust God more and more each day, and seek to live a life that wins
the respect of those around us!

PRAYER:
O precious and righteous Father, I need your help to learn to
slow down and tend to my own responsibilities instead of running
around out of control and without purpose. Please grant me not only
the wisdom that I have been praying for, but also the patience and
quietude that I need for that wisdom to change my heart and mind.
In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.

Verse of the Day – Our days on earth are but a shadow

VERSE:
We were born only yesterday and know nothing, and our days on
earth are but a shadow.
— Job 8:9

THOUGHT:
While Job never learned why he suffered, he did learn his place
in the universe before the Almighty God (Job 38-41). When we are
young, time passes so very slowly — especially if we are waiting
for something special! But as we get older, the years fly by more
and more quickly. Yet despite all our learning, despite all our
experience, we come to two great awakenings: our knowledge compared
to what there is to know is so very small and our place in the
passage of time is so very short. Both of these awakenings prepare
us to turn our lives and future over to our God who longs to bring
us to himself.

PRAYER:
Holy and Almighty God, my Abba Father, thank you so much for
your overwhelming patience as you try to communicate your love to
people like me with my limited abilities to comprehend your
magnificence and glory. Please give me wisdom this week, to make
the decisions I need to make and to choose your way and not my own.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110905

Verse of the Day – God will tell us great and unsearchable things

VERSE:
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and
unsearchable things you do not know.
— Jeremiah 33:3
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Jeremiah+33:3

THOUGHT:
God wants us to seek him and call out to him. He wants to answer
us and tell us about things beyond our human comprehension. He
longs to draw us close so that we can know him. Like a scared child
calls out to a loving father in the next room, we too can call on
him knowing that our Father will answer, protect, and comfort us.
Even more than that, our Father will reveal to us things that would
be impossible for us to know without his grace.

PRAYER:
Almighty God and Abba Father, I do want to know you and to be
known by you. Yes, there are things in my heart and my life that I
wish were not there. But I know your grace and I am confident that
you know my heart and its desire to reflect your glory, share your
grace, and display your character. Thank you for the gift of being
your child and having my future secured. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110902

Verse of the Day – My hope is in You, Lord, all day long

VERSE:
Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your
truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in
you all day long.
— Psalm 25:4-5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Psalm+25:4-5

THOUGHT:
Life can be so confusing. There are so many choices for us as we
decide the values that will govern our lives. So how are we going
to find the best way, God’s way, to live? We will ask God to show
us! Our hope is in him. Our salvation is in him. So why not ask him
to guide us and teach us his truth? Why not expect that he will
make his will known for us? If our hearts are open to his truth and
we are seeking his path, he will make his will known.

PRAYER:
O mighty God, the only true guide to life, please help me to
know your will more completely. I want to live for you and to
please you. I want others to know of my allegiance to you — not
just because of the words I speak, but also through the character
of my conduct. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/todaysverse.cgi?day=20110901

Verse of the Day – How we treat others

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Read at Bible Gateway

Read all of Galatians 3

This verse calls us to check our motives,

and our true Christian actions,

or reactions to people.

One of the main gauges of our spiritual growth

is how we treat others,

whether with prejudice,

or opened arms.

Your sister in Christ,

Sharon

Verse of the Day – After three days He will rise

Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”

— Mark 9:30-31 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

We often seek to attract large crowds to our churches, crusades, and rallies. Jesus also ministered to large crowds. But his strongest teaching on discipleship occurs away from the crowds, when he is alone with his disciples. What the crowds are able to accept is not enough to call mature disciples to that next level in their walk with the Savior. So Jesus withdrew for intensive teaching with a small group of committed disciples so he could mature them and make them ready for future challenges.

Prayer…

Holy God, please bless the people in my Bible study group and all those everywhere that are seeking to follow you no matter the cost. Please lead me to a small group of believers with whom I can share my life and through whom you will challenge me to grow in my surrender to the Lordship of Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

~ Phil Ware

Heartlight

Verse of the Day – August 12 – We are God’s Handiwork

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

Handiwork? What does that mean?

To me, it means that God,

through Christ Jesus,

took special care, time, thought,

to create me.

To fashion me out of the most precious materials

To mold me into a unique shape

To make sure He put me in just the right environment

so that I would grow according to His plan.

He sat, pondering, to give me a special kind of

heart to be receptive to the needs of others

To give me His kind of love, agape, so that

I would have an empathetic touch

and voice to minister to those I meet.

To give me the perfect mate so that I would know

that His love for me would have arms

to hold me,

joy to share with me,

patience to lift me up when I am down,

Unconditional human, yet Godly, love

that would shelter me

through all the storms of life.

To give me a vision for souls

in their lost state

and love to give everyone I meet,

and to help

lead them to His light.

Yes, He thought of all I would need

to go through life here on earth

and He gave me all the tools

to handle the journey

Some didn’t look like they were meant

for me,

but as I am drawn to minister to others

each day,

I realize that being, in the world’s eyes,

flawed,

would be my greatest gift

from my Creator

so that I could feel what they feel,

hurt as they hurt,

walk where they walk,

and know that through my reaching

out,

I have allowed God to use my arms

to wrap

His arms around His children.

a semblance of how

He would wrap His arms around them

if He were here in the flesh.

I am humbled to be

His Handiwork.

~ Sharon Rule

Verse of the Day – July 28 – Press toward the Goal

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14 NKJV

Hebrews 12 NIV

 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.