For Those Seeking
Note from Jesus Dear Seeker, Folks have talked for centuries about My methods as a teacher. Many have been intrigued by My stories that are often called parables — “everyday stories with heavenly meanings” is one description of them. There are several reasons I told these stories: Using stories with subjects and items that you see in your everyday life allows My stories to be recalled when you see the subject or item in your daily experiences. Stories are often better remembered than instruction because you use different parts of your brain to process stories. I occasionally like to sneak a humorous, ironic, or happy element into the stories to make them fun as well as memorable. Stories often elicit more emotion than simply making a point without the stories. My stories often make you think to gather the meaning or truth behind the story. I like to make you think! Thinking makes you own the truth because you’ve discovered it instead of having someone spoon-feed it to you. I always challenge you to follow Me as your Lord, to seek to bring My kingdom to your world, and to place your loyalty fully with Me. I want you to be a seeker — a seeker of My kingdom and a seeker of My truth. Your commitment to being a seeker opens the door for My stories to reveal God’s truth. However, there is an element of My stories that some miss even though I emphasize this truth in My teaching. My stories not only reveal truth, but they also can conceal truth. Those who do not seek Me and who do not seek My kingdom first will have the truth of many of My stories concealed from their hearts. There are several reasons for this concealment. Sometimes things are concealed from non-seekers in My stories because: The stories could get believers in trouble. In cultures pressured to express their first loyalty to king and country, some of My teachings are quite dangerous for believers. Some non-seekers have hard hearts. They can’t understand because they don’t want to understand. They don’t believe because they won’t believe. The promises and hopes of a certain story are only for believers, seekers, and followers. My stories explain hidden and obscure truths that are beyond the understanding of non-seekers because of their lack of faith — they do not share the worldview of a seeker. Remember the promise I made to you in My Sermon on the Mount? “Just ask and it will be given to you; seek after it and you will find. Continue to knock and the door will be opened for you. All who ask receive. Those who seek, find what they seek. And he who knocks, will have the door opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) Well, it’s true, and using this ASK principle (asking, seeking, and knocking) when you look at My stories is one of the ways you can discover this truth for yourself! So ASK. The Spirit of Truth within you, the Holy Spirit I sent to be with you and inside you, will help unlock the meaning and mystery of My stories and guide you into all truth! Verses to Live There is a vital reality that is a great reason for you, as a seeker, to rejoice. What is this reality? It is that I will open your minds and explain the truths of my stories if you will ask. As is illustrated at the end of the verses below, My disciples requested an explanation of one of My parables. The verses tomorrow show that I responded to the disciples’ request. Jesus gave all these teachings to the crowd in parables. Indeed, He spoke only in parables in fulfillment of the prophetic words of the psalms: I will open My mouth in parables; I will tell them things that have been hidden and obscure since the very beginning of the world. Then Jesus left the crowds and returned to … [the] house. His disciples followed Him. Disciples: Explain to us the story You told about… (Matthew 13:34-36) Response in Prayer O Father, thank You for the stories of Jesus. O Lord Jesus, thank You for sharing the mysteries and truths of heaven with me in stories. O Holy Spirit, please open my heart to receive the truth of Jesus, please open my mind to understand the truth of Jesus, and please use my hands to do the work of bringing Jesus’ kingdom to this world. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today’s Verse – Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit will reap eternal life. —Galatians 6:7-8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Isn’t it incredible how huge trees grow out of such tiny seeds! This principle runs throughout all of life. We can never completely get away from the seeds we sow. So let’s not try to fool ourselves. We ARE going to reap what those seeds sow. Let’s make sure the seeds we sow are the ones we want sprouting up! And as we sow to please the Spirit of God and not the world, let’s remember we are going to harvest eternal life, and share that life with others. My Prayer… O Eternal God, who lived before time began and who will be the Great I AM when time is no more, please bless the seeds I sow with my life. May they bear righteous and gracious fruit to honor you and to bless those I love, and those who don’t yet know Jesus. Through Jesus, the grain of wheat (John 12:23-26) who died and was buried so that true life may flower forth, 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.
The Golden Life
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, We often make understanding what God wants much harder than it really is. One of the important aspects of My teaching is that I tried to make things easy to understand so that you can focus on putting those things into practice. In My teaching, I taught you to love God with all you are and to love your neighbor just as you love yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). This teaching is the heart of the Torah — the law of Moses and the message of the prophets also boiled down to those two simple principles: love God and love your neighbor. Today, I want to do the same and focus on easy-to-understand ways to love your neighbor. Let me give you a few kernels of advice on how best to proceed. Don’t judge your neighbor’s motives. His or her fruit — the kind of things a person’s life produces — will tell you what kind of person he or she is. I will have much to say about that later in My teaching. Right now I don’t want you to worry about other people; I want you to focus on yourself and your “stuff” — your issues, your struggles, your sins. You wouldn’t want to have someone sitting around judging your motives for everything you do, would you? Of course not! So don’t waste time looking into people’s actions for their motives. Spend that time on dealing with your “stuff” and you will be a more delightful person to others and a godlier person before the Father! Don’t harp on religious topics with people who couldn’t care less about Me or the ways of God. These people have chosen not to be interested in the ways of God for now. Harping on things about the kingdom often makes some people more determined than ever to never respond. You are wasting your precious time that could be spent doing something productive. Instead, remember the principle of your light shining before others so they can see your good deeds and know that they come from your relationship with the Father (Matthew 5:16). Peter, a leader among My apostles, talked about reaching a point where you can win people without words by your behavior (1 Peter 3:1). Boiling this all down to one simple principle is pretty easy if you will use it everywhere you go and with everyone you touch with your life. Do for others what you would want to be done for you if you were in their situation! Verses to Live Remember, My teaching in what you call the Sermon on the Mount is not just for your learning, but for your living! So don’t get lost in the words; put these principles into practice: Jesus: If you judge other people, then you will find that you, too, are being judged. Indeed, you will be judged by the very standards to which you hold other people. Why is it that you see the dust in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but you can’t see what is in your own eye? Don’t ignore the wooden plank in your eye, while you criticize the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eyelashes. That type of criticism and judgment is a sham! Remove the plank from your own eye, and then perhaps you will be able to see clearly how to help your brother flush out his sawdust. Don’t give precious things to dogs. Don’t cast your pearls before swine. If you do, the pigs will trample the pearls with their little pigs’ feet, and then they will turn back and attack you. … This is what our Scriptures come to teach: in everything, in every circumstance, do to others as you would have them do to you. (Matthew 7:1-6; Matthew 7:12) Response in Prayer Holy Spirit, stir my heart with empathy to see the needs of others. Father God, please empower my efforts to do for others what I believe I would want to be done for me if I were in their situation. Lord Jesus, I pray this because I want to put into practice the things that You have taught me! Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today’s Verse – James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. —James 1:2-3 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “Hang in there!” There are few traits more important than perseverance – hanging in there. Most important accomplishments in life happen because of perseverance. Most “luck” occurs when we’ve persevered long enough for the “magical moment” to come along – in other words, I don’t believe in luck. Edison said it best: life’s most extraordinary feats, the world’s most significant discoveries, and his own most fantastic inventions are “1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” Hang in there! Persevere! And do it with joy! Why? So you can see the glory of God come through for you and in you, not because of luck, but because of God’s grace, love, and power partnered with your perseverance! My Prayer… Unchangeable and Unshakeable God, help me to stand up and prove my character is true when I am under fire. Use the friends you have sent into my life and the power of the Holy Spirit to help me persevere. Please give me faith, courage, and endurance so that my life displays your enduring strength. And, dear Father, please help me find joy in persevering when under trial. I pray for these graces, in the name of him who remained faithful even unto death, and who, “for the joy set before him endured” and persevered through the cross! 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.
Wisely Invested Treasures
Note from Jesus Dear Precious One, Are you worried about finances? Retirement? Funding college? Too little money at the end of too long a month? Or paying off your debts? Are you working for money for money’s sake? For greater success? For more security? For a new play toy? For a vacation play place? For a bigger and better box to sleep in? Or simply for the prestige of having a lot of stuff? Remember this: stuff doesn’t last — “your precious trinkets” won’t amount to anything in the end! If what you invest in can’t change the ultimate reality of your life — death — then what good is it going to do you in the long run? Can what you worry about or what you work for decay, be stolen, or be lost? Then can it ever really be yours… can it ever be truly satisfying… will it ever be enough? Those who live with selfish extravagance or who run after material things often end up losing their life. Pick up the latest tabloid and see which spoiled young superstars have ended up in jail as they live out of control trying for a bit more limelight, searching for a bit more gusto in their joy, wanting a bit more of something that their stuff can’t seem to satisfy. What their eyes see as success is, in reality, darkness. What their hearts call significance ends up as emptiness. What their wealth buys now later becomes their ongoing burden. Let Me have your heart! Let Me show you the right places to invest! Let Me deposit your truest riches in the bank of eternal grace! Then notice in the process that you have found the spiritually meaningful life that many others chase without success. Verses to Live Here’s My teaching on worry, riches, and true wealth. It comes from My Sermon on the Mount. Please remember, what I say here is not opinion or suggestion: this is the truth. Disregard it at your own peril. Obey it to find true life! Jesus: Some people store up treasures in their homes here on earth. This is a shortsighted practice — don’t undertake it. Moths and rust will eat up any treasure you may store here. Thieves may break into your homes and steal your precious trinkets. Instead, put up your treasures in heaven where moths do not attack, where rust does not corrode, and where thieves are barred at the door. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. You draw light into your body through your eyes, and light shines out to the world through your eyes. So if your eye is well and shows you what is true, then your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is clouded or evil, then your body will be filled with evil and dark clouds. And the darkness that takes over the body of a child of God who has gone astray — that is the deepest, darkest darkness there is. No one can serve two masters. If you try, you will wind up loving the first master and hating the second, or vice versa. People try to serve both God and money — but you can’t. You must choose one or the other. Here is the bottom line: do not worry about your life. Don’t worry about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don’t worry about how you clothe your body. Living is about more than merely eating, and the body is about more than dressing up. Look at the birds in the sky. They do not store food for winter. They don’t plant gardens. They do not sow or reap — and yet, they are always fed because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are even more precious to Him than a beautiful bird. If He looks after them, of course He will look after you. Worrying does not do any good; who here can claim to add even an hour to his life by worrying? Nor should you worry about clothes. Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They do not work or weave or sew, and yet their garments are stunning. Even King Solomon, dressed in his most regal garb, was not as lovely as these lilies. And think about grassy fields — the grasses are here now, but they will be dead by winter. And yet God adorns them so radiantly. How much more will He clothe you, you of little faith, you who have no trust? So do not consume yourselves with questions: What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? Outsiders make themselves frantic over such questions; they don’t realize that your heavenly Father knows exactly what you need. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too. So do not worry about tomorrow. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Living faithfully is a large enough task for today. (Matthew 6:19-34) Response in Prayer Father, forgive me for believing the lies of the advertisers, the deceptions of my fleshly greed, and the pressure of my peers to want to have more stuff that does not fully satisfy or have ultimate eternal value. Please give me eyes to see and a heart to seek after what is truly lasting and what is of eternal significance. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Don’t Be a Show-Off!
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, I have a question: Why are you doing spiritual things? Are you trying to impress someone and prove you are religious? Are you trying to honor the Father? For whom are you doing all your “spiritual stuff”? Yes, I know that the last question is a bit abrupt. However, I want you to think through the question carefully. The Sermon on the Mount is challenging to understand. (You can find this teaching in Matthew chapters 5-7 in your Bible.) My teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is even more challenging to put it into practice. I know because this teaching reflects the life I chose to live as I sought to honor the Father! So my teaching today will ask you to examine why you do what you do for God and for others. What’s your motivation for doing good things? Here’s the important point to notice. When you do good things for others to notice them, then you’ve already received your reward. When you do them to honor the Father, He sees even the secret things done to honor Him and will never forget those things. On top of that, your heart will begin to resonate with the Father’s will and the Spirit will help conform your life to be like Mine. We’ve all had enough of religious show-offs who talk about all the great things they have done for God. Just remember, the Father keeps track of the things that you do to honor Him but that most folks never know about. I guess the question is really pretty simple: Do you want the applause of heaven or are you satisfied with a fleeting pat on the back at church? Verses to Live Faith without good deeds, spiritual service, and worship is simply talk. Also, doing religious things to be noticed by others so they will think you are special and holy is actually unholy. Please hear what I say in these words from My Sermon on the Mount! Jesus: But when you do these righteous acts, do not do them in front of spectators. Don’t do them where you can be seen, let alone lauded, by others. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to the poor, do not boast about it, announcing your donations with blaring trumpets as the play actors do. Do not brazenly give your charity in the synagogues and on the streets; indeed, do not give at all if you are giving because you want to be praised by your neighbors. Those people who give in order to reap praise have already received their reward. When you give to the needy, do it in secret — even your left hand should not know what your right hand is doing. Then your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you. Likewise, when you pray, do not be as hypocrites who love to pray loudly at synagogue or on street corners — their concern is to be seen by men. They have already earned their reward. When you pray, go into a private room, close the door, and pray unseen to your Father Who is unseen. Then your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not go on and on, excessively and strangely like the outsiders; they think their verbosity will let them be heard by their deities. Do not be like them. Your prayers need not be labored or lengthy or grandiose — for your Father knows what you need before you ever ask Him. Your prayers, rather, should be simple, like this: Our Father in heaven, let Your name remain holy. Bring about Your kingdom. Manifest Your will here on earth, as it is manifest in heaven. Give us each day that day’s bread — no more, no less — and forgive us our debts as we forgive those who owe us something. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. But let Your kingdom be, and let it be powerful and glorious forever. Amen. If you forgive people when they sin against you, then your Father will forgive you when you sin against Him and when you sin against your neighbor. But if you do not forgive your neighbors’ sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. And when you fast, do not look miserable as the actors and hypocrites do when they are fasting — they walk around town putting on airs about their suffering and weakness, complaining about how hungry they are. So everyone will know they are fasting, they don’t wash or anoint themselves with oil, pink their cheeks, or wear comfortable shoes. Those who show off their piety, they have already received their reward. When you fast, wash your face and beautify yourself with oil, so no one who looks at you will know about your discipline. Only your Father, Who is unseen, will see your fast. And your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-18) Response in Prayer Abba Father, the Lord God Almighty, please accept the things I do to Your glory. Help me guard my heart against doing them for the applause of others on earth. If You are pleased with what I do for others in Your name, give me satisfaction in knowing that You have seen those things. I want Your Name to be glorified and Your Kingdom to come in my life and through my efforts to Your glory! Through Jesus and with the intercession of the Holy Spirit, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Going Deeper than the Old Commands
Note from Jesus Dear Precious One, Today’s message is very important because many in your religious world turn grace into an excuse to do whatever they want rather than seeing it as a joyous reason to live for the Father. In My days on earth, some accused Me of being easy on sin and negligent on ritualistic obedience to the traditions. So it is important that you not only receive the teaching that you will read below but that you also pay close attention to the emphasis. The words I say are hard words to obey. However, I want you to obey them — to put them into practice, to make them real in your daily life. I’m not giving you a few more rules to obey so that you can feel superior to others who are not as good at being religious. What I want is for your heart to yearn for God’s righteous character as well as His gracious compassion. There are two things I want you to realize as you read and take My words below to heart. First, I speak with authority. My authority doesn’t depend on human sources because I speak with divine authority. Moses and the prophets spoke for God, but I fulfilled the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17). My words are more important than those from Moses and the prophets because I AM the Son of God (Hebrews 1:1-2)! My words matter eternally. My words must also matter to you and how you choose to live. Second, I want your heart. I want you to move beyond surface obedience to My teaching. Keep asking this simple question: “Lord Jesus, what is the Father’s intent for my heart and my behavior in this truth?” The Father and I have given you the Holy Spirit to help you hear My answer each day (John 14:23-27; Titus 3:3-7). If you do this, you will be a true child of your Father — the Father of all grace and mercy for all those who seek to honor Him! Verses to Live I came to help you see through the vain rule-keeping approach to religion. I want you to look deep into the heart and the will of the Father. So you will notice that I stated what the existing teachings were in My day (the underlined portions below) and that I then intensified the meanings of those truths to point you to the heart of the Father (the portions in bold text). Jesus: Do not think that I have come to overturn or do away with the law or the words of our prophets. To the contrary: I have not come to overturn them but to fulfill them. This, beloved, is the truth: until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter, not one pen stroke, will disappear from the sacred law — for everything, everything in the sacred law will be fulfilled and accomplished. Anyone who breaks even the smallest, most obscure commandment — not to mention teaches others to do the same — will be called small and obscure in the kingdom of heaven. Those who practice the law and teach others how to live the law will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you this: you will not enter the kingdom of heaven unless your righteousness goes deeper than the Pharisees’, even more righteous than the most learned learner of the law. As you know, long ago God instructed Moses to tell His people, “Do not murder; those who murder will be judged and punished.” But here is the even harder truth: anyone who is angry with his brother will be judged for his anger. Anyone who taunts his friend, speaks contemptuously toward him, or calls him “Loser” or “Fool” or “Scum,” will have to answer to the high court. And anyone who calls his brother a fool may find himself in the fires of hell. Therefore, if you are bringing an offering to God and you remember that your brother is angry at you or holds a grudge against you, then leave your gift before the altar, go to your brother, repent and forgive one another, be reconciled, and then return to the altar to offer your gift to God. If someone sues you, settle things with him quickly. Talk to him as you are walking to court; otherwise, he may turn matters over to the judge, and the judge may turn you over to an officer, and you may land in jail. I tell you this: you will not emerge from prison until you have paid your last penny. As you know, long ago God forbade His people to commit adultery. You may think you have abided by this Commandment, walked the straight and narrow, but I tell you this: any man who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery in his heart. If your right eye leads you into sin, gouge it out and throw it in the garbage — for better you lose one part of your body than march your entire body through the gates of sin and into hell. And if your right hand leads you into sin, cut it off and throw it away — for better you lose one part of your body than march your entire body through the gates of sin and into hell. And here is something else: you have read in Deuteronomy that anyone who divorces his wife must do so fairly — he must give her the requisite certificate of divorce and send her on her way, free and unfettered. But I tell you this: unless your wife cheats on you, you must not divorce her, period. Nor are you to marry someone who has been married and divorces, for a divorced person who remarries commits adultery. You know that God expects us to abide by the oaths we swear and the promises we make. But I tell you this: do not
Today’s Verse – Philippians 2:14-16
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 as you hold out the word of life. —Philippians 2:14-16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Stars! They’ve always been a source of constant hope for God’s people. “I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven…” God told Abraham (Genesis 22:17). “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them…” David asked (Psalm 8:3-4). The Wisemen, Magi from the East, followed a star to discover baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1-2). Luke reminds us that Jesus was the light coming from heaven to shine on those in darkness (Luke 2:32). And now, we’re stars – God’s points of light in the dark sky of the universe. Let’s make today a day that our light shines God’s glory to a dark world around us. We will live for Jesus without complaining or arguing, living pure lives so we can shine God’s grace to those who do not know him through Jesus! Let’s hold out the word of life in our dark world. My Prayer… Almighty God, the incredible expanse of your universe, with its billions of stars, exceeds my limited comprehension. But I thank you for calling me to be a person of light in the dark world around me. I pledge to shine your light in the lives of all those I influence. Through the name of Jesus, your bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16), 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.
Let the Light Shine!
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, While I was in the world, I was the “Light of the world” (John 9:5). I AM still the Light of the world (John 1:4-5; John 8:12), but now I am sending you to be My representative. You are to share the light you have received from Me and shine that light to all the world so everyone can see your good deeds and know that they come from your love for and loyalty to the Father. You have probably known the message of the verses below for many years. So I want to challenge you to do more than just remember the words: I want you to demonstrate you believe them by putting them into practice in the places and with the people your life touches. The world is a dark place. Despite the shallow smiles you see around you, most people you meet each day need a touch of light — kindness and grace that you can give them in the Father’s name. Verses to Live When you turn on the light each morning, let it be a reminder that others need the grace of God’s light in their lives. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart to see the opportunities to bless others. Show the grace of the Father, live the values of Our kingdom, and help others find their way home to the Father through the light you shine on their paths. Let the light shine! Jesus: You, beloved, are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes bland and loses its saltiness, can anything make it salty again? No. It is useless. It is tossed out, thrown away, or trampled. And you, beloved, are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. Similarly it would be silly to light a lamp and then hide it under a bowl. When someone lights a lamp, she puts it on a table or a desk or a chair, and the light illumines the entire house. You are like that illuminating light. Let your light shine everywhere you go, that you may illumine creation, so men and women everywhere may see your good actions, may see creation at its fullest, may see your devotion to Me, and may turn and praise your Father in heaven because of it. (Matthew 5:13-16) Response in Prayer O Father, I promise to be open to the leading and nudging of the Holy Spirit as I shine your light to bless others. Give me graceful wisdom to know those who need Your light. Father, I do this, not for my glory or reputation or acceptance, but so that others can find their way to You. So please, use my light to Your glory! In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2026, Heartlight, Inc. ‘A Year with Jesus‘ is part of the Heartlight Network.All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Voice™. © 2008 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today’s Verse – Galatians 5:16
Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. —Galatians 5:16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… I don’t want you to think about an orange rhinoceros flying with blue wings. Now quit it. I don’t want you to think about that orange rhinoceros anymore. You know there is no such thing as an orange rhino that flies, much less one that flies on blue wings. Quit thinking about him and his blue wings! Of course, the point is straightforward: the more we try not to do something, the more we focus on it, the more we ensure that we will do what we are not supposed to do. That’s why the gift of the Holy Spirit is so important to us as we seek to honor and obey our LORD and Savior Jesus and avoid sin. He enables and empowers us to move beyond our sin and to quit thinking about it. The Spirit empowers us, not by focusing on the sin we want to avoid, but by enriching us and “distracting” us with the important things of God (Galatians 5:22). As we focus more on Jesus, the more the Spirit transforms us away from our sin that we want to avoid and thinking about, and transforming us toward the character of Jesus: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces reflect and contemplate* the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). * The Greek word (ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ) means both “reflect” and “contemplate” as most translations suggest in their footnotes. Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Abba Father, I thank you for your Holy Spirit that lives in me and is now interceding with you for me (Romans 8:26). Please fill me with your Spirit so that my life more nearly reflects your will and focuses on your concerns as the Spirit transforms me to become more and more like my LORD and Savior. Through Jesus, 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.