Today’s Verse – Ephesians 6:11
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. —Ephesians 6:11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We often focus only on the things we like, are good at doing, or are interested in accomplishing. God wants us to use every piece of his spiritual armor for every situation where it is needed. He wants us to be disciplined and grow in areas of our spiritual weakness, as well as in those we do not find particularly exciting or interesting. Our evil opponent is crafty and will attack us in the areas of our weaknesses and vulnerabilities, the areas we neglect to bring under the Lordship of Christ. So let’s not just commit to being diligent in the areas of our interests and strengths, but especially hone in those areas where we are not strong and don’t usually pay attention. Let’s put on the FULL armor of God and take our stand against the evil one and his schemes. My Prayer… Father, strengthen me in the areas where I am most vulnerable to sin because of my lethargy and neglect. Please open my eyes to see my areas of weakness and vulnerability. Rekindle my heart to passionately seek after your holiness as I strive to bring all of my life under the lordship of my Savior, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Ephesians 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. —Ephesians 6:10 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Some of our strength in fighting evil comes from the spiritual experiences in our past, the encouragement of other believers, and our knowledge of the truth from Scripture. Ultimately, however, our power comes from God’s mighty power, the Holy Spirit. Paul uses his letter to the Ephesians to remind Christians that the power of the Holy Spirit, which raised Jesus from the dead, is at work in us now (Ephesians 1:17-20, 3:14-16). Through the Spirit’s power at work in us, God can do much more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21). As we put on our spiritual armor and dedicate ourselves to spiritual discipline, God blesses us with his power and his might to live holy lives of courage and grace. God enables us to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power”! My Prayer… O LORD God Almighty, my Abba Father and loving Shepherd, strengthen me with your might and grace so that I can withstand the attacks and temptations of the evil one. In Jesus’ name, I ask for the might of the Holy Spirit to be at work in me for your glory. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Ephesians 5:15-16
Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. —Ephesians 5:15-16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Even though we are God’s holy children, we also need to be aware of the time it is in our world. The evil one still exercises his control over the hearts of many people. Temptations abound. Evil people seek to distort the truth and malign the way of God. Our Father in heaven wants us to “make most of every opportunity” – literally, “redeem the time” – making the most of every opportunity we have to touch the lives of others with God’s grace, resist worldly temptations, and overcome the opposition of the evil one by the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:17-20, 3:14-16). My Prayer… Give me wisdom, O LORD, to discern the best ways to use my time and my influence to honor you and bless others. Please open my eyes to see the temptations the evil one puts in my path. Please grow my courage so I can boldly stand for you in the face of our often perverse world. In addition, dear Father, please grant me the spiritual sensitivity to discern the best ways to bless others according to their needs. In Jesus’ name, I pray, asking for your gracious help to make this so. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Ephesians 1:4-5
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. —Ephesians 1:4-5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God wanted us to be His children. That was his plan for us even before the world began. While we cannot be holy and blameless on our own strength alone, God paid the huge price of our adoption into his family through the sacrifice of his Son, our older brother, Jesus. Because of our faith in Jesus and God’s grace, the Father cleansed us from our sins and brought us into His family as his sons and daughters. God’s motive in doing this? His desire and delight in loving us as his children. Our response? Seek to live holy lives that honor our Father by living his values in our broken world. My Prayer… Loving Father and Holy God, my words cannot adequately express all of my appreciation for your love and grace. I am honored to be one of your adopted children and want to bring you joy in the way I live. Please forgive me for the times I have disappointed you or not lived up to what you desire of me. Even in those times, your love and grace have brought me back to you, forgiven me, and cleansed me. I want my life to be a holy thanksgiving to you for your love, mercy, and grace. I pray in Jesus’ name for the Holy Spirit to help make this so in my thoughts, words, and deeds. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. —Acts 1:8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God has a plan to reach the world with his grace. We start where we are and reach out to those around us. We then share the story of Jesus with those in our region. Then we reach out and take the gospel all over the world. As we offer ourselves to be used, we also trust that the Holy Spirit’s power and presence will go with us. I liken this to skipping rocks on a still pond. Every time the rock touches the water and skips forward, it sends out ripples that ultimately reach every corner of the pond. We see this happen in the book of Acts as the early church lived out Jesus’ mission strategy again and again. Go here where you are now. Go near to the surrounding regions. Go far, to the uttermost parts of the world. Now it is our turn to live out this mission, trusting the Spirit’s power to equip, propel, and embolden us to share how Jesus has impacted our lives as his witnesses. Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Father, please use us to reach those around us with your grace. Bless our congregations, house churches, groups, and mission organizations as we share Jesus with those in our area, nearby regions, and far-off places in today’s world. Father, we ask that you bless our outreach efforts so that we honor the LORD’s plan to reach all nations with our messages about Jesus as the Holy Spirit empowers us to share our personal testimony of his work in our lives. We pray this in the powerful name of our LORD. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – 2 Timothy 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. —2 Timothy 1:7 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… When we became Christians, Jesus poured the gift of the Holy Spirit into us (Acts 2:38). The Spirit now lives in us, making our bodies into a holy temple where God lives and we worship him in the ways we use our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The Spirit also blesses us in many ways. Romans 8:1-39 details many of these ways. We can be courageous even in the face of attack, criticism, ridicule, and persecution because of the Spirit’s presence in us (Acts 4:23-31). The Spirit is at work in us to produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) as the Spirit transforms us to become more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Spirit pours love into our hearts, enabling us to love in supernatural ways (Romans 5:5). The Spirit’s presence is our heavenly power source helping us overcome sin and live self-disciplined lives to the glory of the LORD, even in evil times (Galatians 1:4). Because “God did not give us a spirit of timidity,” but the Holy Spirit “of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” My Prayer… Father, thank you for the Spirit’s constant presence in our lives. Please empower us with even greater courage and strength as we face the daily challenges in our lives, with the help of this power from the Holy Spirit. May we display the power of the Spirit in our lives in the ways that we love others, seeking to share the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus with them. We also ask for the Spirit’s help in putting to death the fleshly desires that interfere with our transformation into becoming more like Jesus. We pray this through the intercession of the Spirit and the powerful name of our LORD Jesus. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – 1 Thessalonians 3:12
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. —1 Thessalonians 3:12 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “I’m not sure I can love that person any longer! My supply of love feels used up, my capacity for compassion seems to be exhausted!” Yes, there are times when we feel as if others have exhausted our ability to love, either because their need is so great or because they are unwilling to love us in return. How can we continue to love them? We need a community of love, the fellowship of other believers who will support and love us during our times of spiritual depletion. We need brothers and sisters in Christ who will pray for God to increase our capacity to love and forgive. We need to trust that in response to all of our prayers, God will pour more love into our hearts through his ever-flowing stream of grace, the Holy Spirit bubbling up within us (Romans 5:5; John 7:37-39). When our ability to love feels low, we must not withdraw from people or give up on having relationships. Instead, we need to draw near to God and his people, asking for our Father’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us love and bless people in their time of need as we seek to be JESUShaped people in our broken world. My Prayer… Dear Father, please graciously pour your love into our hearts and into the hearts of those in our family and church family. We need your help to love those around us more completely and sacrificially. We ask that the Holy Spirit fill us with grace so we can more perfectly live out our LORD’s teaching, demonstrated in his life and through his death. O Father, help us display our Savior’s love to others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. —2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The Father of compassion comforts us because we are heartbroken The Father of compassion comforts us because we need a blessing. The Father of compassion comforts us because God loves us. The Father of compassion comforts us so we can comfort others. While each of the above statements is true, the last one is the most crucial. We cannot fully realize true comfort until we receive it and then share it with someone else. Sharing the comfort we have received is that final step in the healing process of grief, disappointment, hurt, and loss. Until we share the comfort we have received, until we pass it on to others, our understanding of God’s comfort is incomplete, shallow, selfish, and limited. We have a Father of compassion and comfort. He wants us, as his children, to pass that comfort to others! My Prayer… O LORD, God of heaven and earth, Creator of the universe, thank you for knowing my heart, caring about my concerns, and comforting me when I am wounded. Please help me share your grace, mercy, and comfort with someone who needs it today. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:22
The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. —Psalm 34:22 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God not only buys out our bondage and debt to sin, but he also assures us that he will provide refuge for those who trust in him. Our future is tied to God and not to our ability to provide and protect what we need. He is our refuge and strength, our ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1, 11). My Prayer… O LORD, God of heaven and earth, I place my life and my future in your hands. Please use me to bless others and help them find refuge in your gracious love. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:21
Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. —Psalm 34:21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God has promised a closing time for everyone who has ever lived. It will be a reckoning where human power and influence cannot blot out the truth and where each person who has ever lived will have to face what they have done, whether good or evil. Evil will overtake those who have been partnered with evil. Their hatred and wickedness will come back upon them. God will not allow righteousness, truth, and justice to be short-circuited, perverted, or forgotten! “Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.” My Prayer… Father, thank you for making me clean and whole by the purifying work of your Holy Spirit. Please train me to live righteously. Help me develop a revulsion for what is sinful and evil. Use me, please, to help others caught in the evil one’s work to escape and find deliverance in the LORD Jesus. In the name of my Savior, the one who died for all people to be able to come to you, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.