I Came to Help You!
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved Sibling, Yes, I know some of you who read this have trouble thinking of Me as your older brother. Through the Father’s grace, that is Who I AM to you. I taught My disciples to pray to “Our Father…” (Matthew 6:9). As My beloved writer of Hebrews emphasized in the verses you will read today, My disciples are also My “brothers and sisters.” You have been born into My family (John 3:5-8). I “took on flesh and blood” and lived among you, as one of you so you could be part of My family. My concern was not for My comfort and prestige. My focus was not on any heavenly messenger or angel. My concern was for you. My focus was on those I wanted to become My brothers and sisters. I came to honor the Father and to “destroy the one who held power over death.” I came to free you from fear. I came to share your world. I came to assure you that you could come to the Father through Me and always “find mercy and grace to help when [you] need it most”! I AM your great High Priest. I not only offered a sacrifice for you, but I offered Myself as the once-for-all-time atoning sacrifice for your sin. I brought “reconciliation” between you and the Father. I AM your great High Priest. I AM now “approaching God on behalf of” you. I AM your great High Priest. I AM acquainted with “suffering.” Like you, I also offered up “prayers and pleas, groans and tears” to the Father. As your great High Priest, I can promise you these things: You don’t have to fear death. I have conquered death and the devil who uses it to wound and maim and destroy. Your sin is forgiven. You stand before God as righteous and holy. You can be sure that I can help you when you are tested. I was tested as you are, yet I did not sin. When you are facing trials and temptations — even if you succumb to these temptations and sin — you can come with confidence to the “throne of grace.” You can come confidently knowing that you will “find mercy and grace to help when [you] need it most.” Verses to Live Today’s readings come from chapters 2, 5, and 4 in your book of Hebrews. I have put them in this order so you can have a deeper appreciation of what it means for Me to be your merciful and faithful High Priest! Read these passages in this order several times. The first time, jot down all I did and endured to experience mortality. You can be confident that I understand human weakness, not just as God the Son Who is omniscient, but as a mortal man, God in human flesh. Now, when you read through these verses again, jot down all that they mean for you as you approach the Father seeking grace. It only makes sense that God, by Whom and for Whom everything exists, would choose to bring many of us to His side by using suffering to perfect Jesus, the founder of our faith, the pioneer of our salvation. As I will show you, it’s important that the One Who brings us to God and those who are brought to God become one, since we are all from one Father. This is why Jesus was not ashamed to call us His family [His brothers and sisters], saying, in the words of the psalmist, I will speak Your Name to My brothers and sisters when I praise You in the midst of the community. And in the words of Isaiah, I will wait for the Eternal One. And again, Look, here I am with the children God has given Me. Since we, the children, are all creatures of flesh and blood, Jesus took on flesh and blood, so that by dying He could destroy the one who held power over death — the devil — and destroy the fear of death that has always held people captive. So notice — His concern here is not for the welfare of the heavenly messengers, but for the children of Abraham. He had to become as human as His sisters and brothers so that when the time came, He could become a merciful and faithful high priest of God, called to reconcile a sinful people. Since He has also been tested by suffering, He can help us when we are tested. (Hebrews 2:10-18) The job of every high priest is reconciliation: approaching God on behalf of others and offering Him gifts and sacrifices to repair the damage caused by our sins against God and each other. The high priest should have compassion for those who are ignorant of the faith and those who fall out of the faith because he also has wrestled with human weakness, and so the priest must offer sacrifices both for his sins and for those of the people. … When Jesus was on the earth, a man of flesh and blood, He offered up prayers and pleas, groans and tears to the One Who could save Him from death. He was heard because He approached God with reverence. Although He was a Son, Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered. And once He was perfected through that suffering He became the way of eternal salvation for all those who hear and follow Him, for God appointed Him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:1-3; Hebrews 5:7-10) Since we have a great High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God Who has passed through the heavens from death into new life with God, let us hold tightly to our faith. For Jesus is not some high priest who has no sympathy for our weaknesses and flaws. He has already been tested in every way that we are tested; but He emerged victorious, without failing God.
Today’s Verse – Jeremiah 10:24
Correct me, LORD, but only with justice — not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing. —Jeremiah 10:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jeremiah frequently struggled with the hard message the LORD gave him to communicate to God’s people. He often wept over and complained to God about what he was given to communicate. While he knew he was wrong to complain, he begged the LORD to correct him with justice and mercy, not anger and punishment. This request reminds me of a similar request a good friend regularly makes of the LORD when he prays, recognizing his own weaknesses and failings: “Humble me gently, Father,” he often prays. Our transformation, which requires correction and grace, is hard work and requires even more patience on God’s part than on our part. So we thank God for his grace, which lets us admit our sin and yet still come into his holy and awesome presence, knowing he will be both just and merciful, righteous and gracious. Thankfully, the LORD doesn’t treat us as we deserve but as we need (Psalm 103:1-22). We, too, can pray, “Correct me, LORD, but only with justice — not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing.” My Prayer… Dear God, I sin. I don’t like it when I sin, but I still find myself succumbing to some of my long-standing weaknesses. Please correct me and put me on the path of righteousness, dear Father, but please humble me gently, not correcting me in your anger but in transforming me by your discipline and grace. Even more than wanting to please you, dear Father, I want to honor you even more. So please, gently and consistently rid my heart of duplicity, deceit, and spiritual weakness. Nurture me in holiness. In Jesus’ name. 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.
Better!
Note from Jesus Dear Child of the Father, Today you begin a short journey through the wonderful “word of exhortation” (Hebrews 13:22) you call the book of Hebrews. This special document is a collection of short exhortations built upon the comparison of Old Covenant images with their fulfillment in the New Covenant brought by My sacrifice on the cross, by My resurrection, and through My pouring out the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and subsequently to you also. Notice the word “better” when you read this “word of exhortation.” It occurs repeatedly in later sections of Hebrews to refer to Me and the salvation that I offer. I brought the world a “better” covenant, built on “better” promises and leading to a “better” hope, provided by a “better” and once-for-all sacrifice so that I could become a “better” high priest for My people and ensure a “better” Sabbath rest for the people of God. Today’s verses come from the first two chapters of the book of Hebrews. Even though the word “better” is not used in today’s verses, they nevertheless have a clear message: I AM “better” than the angels or “heavenly messengers.” I bring a “better,” complete, fulfilled, and incarnated message from the Father. I came as the Father’s Son. I was God’s very presence among you (Matthew 1:23). I am superior to the angels who brought the first covenant and who were part of many messengers involved in the Old Covenant. As the Son, I came and brought the Father’s greatest and final message. No messenger compares to Me as God’s Son. My chosen vessel who wrote Hebrews adds a powerful exhortation to this truth of My superiority. You must “pay even closer attention” to My message than to any message you have previously received. You don’t want to “drift away” from this message and ignore the “great salvation”! To “ignore” this message would invite your own “destruction”! Verses to Live Hebrews is not only a “word of exhortation,” but it is also a message of urgency. It is a spiritual alarm clock sent to warn those who heard its message to awaken from their spiritual slumber. They needed to shake off their spiritual lethargy because of the better things they had received from Me. I hope you will hear the same alarm. I want you to awaken to the “better” things that I have planned for you. Long ago, at different times and in various ways, God’s voice came to our ancestors through the Hebrew prophets. But in these last days, it has come to us through His Son, the One Who has been given dominion over all things and through Whom all worlds were made. This is the One Who — imprinted with God’s image, shimmering with His glory — sustains all that exists through the power of His word. He was seated at the right hand of God once He Himself had made the offering that purified us from all our sins. This Son of God is elevated as far above the heavenly messengers [angels] as His holy name is elevated above theirs. For no heavenly messengers have ever heard God address them with these words of the psalms: You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father. Or heard Him promise, I will be to You a Father, and You will be My Son. Now, when the Son, the firstborn of God, was brought into the world, God said, Let all My heavenly messengers worship Him. … And God continues, In the beginning, You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth and set the skies above us with Your own hands. But while they will someday pass away, You remain forever; when they wear out like old clothes, You will roll them up and change them into something new. But You will never change; Your years will never come to an end. Did God ever say to any of the heavenly messengers, Sit here, at My right hand, in the seat of honor; and I’ll put all Your enemies under Your feet? No, of course not. The heavenly messengers are only spirits and servants, sent out to minister to those who will certainly inherit salvation. That is why we ought to pay even closer attention to the voice that has been speaking so that we will never drift away from it. For if the words of instruction and inspiration brought by heaven’s messengers were valid, and if we live in a universe where sin and disobedience receive their just rewards, then how will we escape destruction if we ignore this great salvation? We heard it first from our Lord Jesus, then from those who passed on His teaching. God also testifies to this truth by signs and wonders and miracles and the gifts of the Holy Spirit lighting on those He chooses. (Hebrews 1:1-6; Hebrews 1:10-14; Hebrews 2:1-4) Response in Prayer O Father, I recognize that Jesus is Your greatest messenger Who brings Your greatest message. I commit to hearing that message and respond with urgency and passion. Open my eyes to Your truth in this interesting and challenging “word of exhortation.” I ask for the Holy Spirit’s help in understanding and applying its important messages to my life as I live to honor You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, 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 – 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
“Everything is permissible” — but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible” — but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. —1 Corinthians 10:23-24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Freedom is a wonderful gift! Freedom in Christ is more significant than any other kind of freedom. God entrusts it to us. But we don’t want to use our freedom to impinge on someone else’s freedom or damage their faith. We don’t want our liberty to cause others to sin or to lose sight of Christ. So, let’s use our freedom wisely and redemptively — only to use it for what is “beneficial” and “constructive”! My Prayer… Precious God and Almighty Father, thank you for the many gifts you have poured into our lives as Jesus’ followers. We especially want to thank you for our spiritual freedom in Jesus. Please empower us to use our freedom to bless and build others up — to be “beneficial” and “constructive” to other believers. Rather than bringing glory to ourselves by exercising our freedom, we want to encourage and bless others, especially new and weak believers. Please help us see others as the place of your work in the world and lead us to join you in that work in the ways we use our freedom and also in the way we withhold it from ourselves. 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.
Be Faithful!
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, I want you to feel the urgency in today’s words that Paul wrote to Timothy. They come from the last of Paul’s writings to his son in the faith. These words plead for Timothy to join Paul in his life of faith in two specific ways: Be faithful to the call he had received to proclaim My message and do it with truth and passion. Join Paul in his last days so that he could be of assistance to Paul and so that these days could have an impact on the lost world and strengthen new churches to live for Me and the kingdom of God. Paul was realistic but not pessimistic about the future awaiting him. He was fully confident in My coming with power and glory. This faith in Me helped him to remain loyal to Me, to be strong in his faith, to be inspired by the Scriptures, and to be faithful even to death. He was urging Timothy to be faithful, too. As Paul often did at the end of his letters, he mentioned people who were both faithful and unfaithful to him and to Me. This is just another way for Paul to appeal to Timothy’s heart and challenge him to do the following: [S]tay focused and be alert at all times. Accomplish the good work of an evangelist, and complete the ministry to which you [Timothy] have been called. [L]ove and long for His [My] appearing. Come to me [Paul] … as soon as you can. Bring Mark with you because he is useful in this work and will help look after me. [P]ick up the cloak I [Paul] left with Carpus in Troas, and bring the scrolls — especially the parchments. [W]atch your back because he [Alexander the metal worker] has gone overboard to oppose our message. Give my regards to Prisca, Aquila, and everyone over at Onesiphorus’s house. At first glance, these excerpts from the verses below appear to be miscellaneous instructions and requests thrown in at the end of a letter. However, look closely, and you will see Paul’s focus on being faithful in every area of life: to all the people in his life, to the ministry he had been called to complete, and to the people to whom I had called him to mentor and serve. Most of all, Paul finished with a reminder of how I was faithful to him even when everyone else abandoned him: He [Me, Jesus] stood by me, strengthened me, and backed the truth I proclaimed with power… Paul’s example of faithfulness was a challenge for Timothy to be faithful in every area of his life, his relationships, and his ministry. I want it to be a challenge to you to be faithful in every area of your life as well! Verses to Live Are you a faithful person? Do you live up to your word? Do you stand by your friends? Are you committed to faithfully living out your commitments to Me? I hope Paul’s words to Timothy challenge you to be faithful in every area of your life and ministry. Be faithful! And now I bring you this charge before God and Jesus the Anointed, the one destined to judge the living and the dead, at His glorious appearance and His kingdom: go out and preach the word! Go whether it’s an opportune time or not! Reprove, warn, and encourage; but do so with all the patience and instruction needed to fulfill your calling because a time will come when some will no longer tolerate sound teaching. Instead, they will live by their own desires; they’ll scratch their itching ears by surrounding themselves with teachers who approve of their lifestyles and tell them what they want to hear. They will turn away from the real truth you have to offer because they prefer the sound of fables and myths. But you must stay focused and be alert at all times. Tolerate suffering. Accomplish the good work of an evangelist, and complete the ministry to which you have been called. For I am already being poured out, and the last drops of this drink offering are all that remain; it’s almost time for me to leave. I have fought the good fight, I have stayed on course and finished the race, and through it all, I have kept believing. I look forward to what’s in store for me: a crown of righteousness that the Lord — the always right and just judge — will give me that day (but it is not only for me, but for all those who love and long for His appearing). Come to me, Timothy, as soon as you can. You see, Demas has fallen for this world, abandoned me, and headed off to Thessalonica. Crescens took off for Galatia. Titus has gone to Dalmatia. Luke is the only one left. Bring Mark with you because he is useful in this work and will help look after me. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. On your way here, pick up the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, and bring the scrolls — especially the parchments. Keep your eye out for Alexander the coppersmith! He came against me with all sorts of evil — may the Lord pay him back accordingly — so watch your back because he has gone overboard to oppose our message. When it was time for my first defense, no one showed up to support me. Everyone abandoned me (may it not be held against them) except the Lord. He stood by me, strengthened me, and backed the truth I proclaimed with power so it may be heard by all the non-Jews. He rescued me, pried open the lion’s jaw, and snatched me from its teeth. And I know the Lord will continue to rescue me from every trip, trap, snare, and pitfall of evil and carry me safely to His heavenly kingdom. May He be glorified throughout eternity.
Today’s Verse – Matthew 10:22
“All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” —Matthew 10:22 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Wow! Jesus’ words are emphatic and decisive! He chose these challenging words because his followers — that’s us today — must realize they will not be the dominant or accepted culture during most of the world’s history. Discipleship is difficult and demanding; most folks want things simple and easy. The values Jesus called his disciples to embody are generally unfavorable to the dominant cultures of our world. “So, be ready!” Jesus was essentially telling us. “Be ready to face criticism and rejection.” While we know life as a disciple may be an uphill battle to change the hearts of men and women of the world, with the Spirit’s help, we can be God’s tools to bless others and lead them closer to him! Jesus called us to do that throughout his teaching and example during his earthly ministry (Matthew 5:11-16). Salvation in all its glory awaits us at our journey’s end. Hopefully, we will influence others to join us in our journey to Jesus despite the opposition of those who reject the Lordship of Jesus Christ! My Prayer… Forgive us, dear Father, for we have often grown impatient with the world around us and started seeing it as the enemy rather than our target for your grace. Please give us the wisdom and the courage to balance our understanding of the world with your passion to redeem it through Jesus, in whose 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.
Be Inspired!
Note from Jesus Dear Faithful Follower, You need to be inspired if you are going to face the challenges of living in these last days. As Paul warned Timothy, there are a lot of people who are mean, uncaring, unrighteous, and spiritually counterfeit. Stay away from these kinds of people. They will seek to involve you and entrap you in their sin. The way to resist their influence is learning to recognize what is good, right, and holy. So stay close to godly people who live for Me. They display My righteous character in their lives. They show My gracious compassion to those in need. Read about the martyrs and heroes of the faith who were faithful even in the face of death. Look at the things they invested their time and efforts in doing. Spend time in the holy Scriptures. Read about My heroes of faith. The inspired Scriptures are given to you so you can understand the Father’s will and live the way the Father intended for you. These holy Scriptures are God-breathed. They are inspired by the Father and breathed into the hearts of those who wrote them. These Scriptures are practical and useful. So spend time with the Scriptures, always asking the Holy Spirit to help you hear My voice. I want you to know what you are to feel and what you are to do based on what these Scriptures say. Rather than complicating and confining your life, these Scriptures are given to you to inspire you to holy living, courageous action, and victorious commitment. So be inspired! Verses to Live Paul didn’t pull any punches with Timothy when he talked about how hard it was to live in the last days. Timothy knew Paul was imprisoned and awaiting death. Timothy had known that this would likely happen because he knew that Paul had been stoned and left for dead in Lystra by people who hated him (Acts 14:8-20). To remain loyal and to be strong, Paul knew Timothy needed to be inspired. I want you to be inspired by Paul’s words today, too. And know this: in the last days, times will be hard. You see, the world will be filled with narcissistic, money-grubbing, pretentious, arrogant, and abusive people. They will rebel against their parents and will be ungrateful, unholy, uncaring, coldhearted, accusing, without restraint, savage, and haters of anything good. Expect them to be treacherous, reckless, swollen with self-importance, and given to loving pleasure more than they love God. Even though they may look or act like godly people, they’re not. They deny His power. I tell you: Stay away from the likes of these. They’re snakes slithering into the houses of vulnerable women, women gaudy with sin, to seduce them. These reptiles can capture them because these women are weak and easily swayed by their desires. They seem always to be learning, but they never seem to gain the full measure of the truth. And, just as Jannes and Jambres rose up against Moses, these ungodly people defy the truth. Their minds are corrupt, and their faith is absolutely worthless. But they won’t get too far because their stupidity will be noticed by everyone, just as it was with Jannes and Jambres. You have been a good student. You have closely observed how I have lived. You’ve followed my instructions, my habits, my purpose, my faith, my patience. You’ve watched how I love and have seen how I endure. You have been with me through persecutions and sufferings — remember what they did to me in Antioch? in Iconium and Lystra? I endured all of it, and the Lord rescued me from it all! Anyone wishing to live a godly life in Jesus the Anointed will be hunted down and persecuted. But as for the wicked and the imposters, they will keep leading and following each other further and further away from the truth. So surely you ought to stick to what you know is certain. All you have learned comes from people you know and trust because since childhood you have known the holy Scriptures, which enable you to be wise and lead to salvation through faith in Jesus the Anointed. All of Scripture is God-breathed; in its inspired voice, we hear useful teaching, rebuke, correction, instruction, and training for a life that is right so that God’s people may be up to the task ahead and have all they need to accomplish every good work. (2 Timothy 3:1-17) Response in Prayer O Father, forgive me for not spending enough time in your Scriptures. I thank You for the inspiring stories of courage about men and women of faith. I thank You for the words of warning and the examples of the bad consequences for those who do not heed those words. I thank You for the many practical teachings in the Scriptures. Father, I thank You that as I read these words of inspiration, the same Spirit Who inspired the Scriptures is at work in me to apply them to my life, to open my eyes to Your deeper truths, and to conform me to be more like You each day. I ask for Your inspiration to be at work on me and in me to conform me to Your will. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. ‘A Year with Jesus’ is written by Phil Ware. © 1998-2024, 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 – Deuteronomy 10:21
He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. —Deuteronomy 10:21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God is our praise! The God who parted the Red Sea and supplied manna to the Israelites in the wilderness is also the God who did the most amazing miracles for us and in us — he has turned our selfish hearts to do his will, turned our lives to do his eternal work in the world, and tuned us through the Holy Spirit’s work to become more like Jesus! After doing all those things in us and for us, God has gifted and empowered us to do those things he has placed in our hearts to do. He is our praise, and he is worthy of that praise. He is the One we worship even as he is the One who makes us worthy worshipers! My Prayer… You are worthy, Abba Father, of all glory, honor, and praise. You have done great and mighty works throughout the history of your people, Israel — most of whom were everyday people you used mightily. Thank you for using us to do your work in our world, today. We praise you, dear Father, for using everyday folks like us to do your eternal work. In the name of Jesus, our King, 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.
Be Strong!
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, In today’s verses Paul was urging Timothy to be strong. I urge you as well to be strong in Me. With Paul’s impending martyrdom, he was passing the torch of leadership, mission, and equipping of new leaders to Timothy. To do all the things Timothy needed to do, he had to choose to be strong and “empowered by the grace that is in” Me! He needed to soldier on through possible suffering. He needed to endure and complete his race of faith. He needed to work hard until he was able to enjoy the harvest of all of his work. Timothy needed to be strong in the simple and clear message of My good news. He needed to be strong and not let the threat of prison, or even death, steal away the truth that nothing can stop My message and the cause for which he lived. He needed to be strong in confronting those who dissipated the strength of My people with their “bickering over words” and “meritless arguments” and “ungodly babbling”. Timothy needed to be strong in completing his mission and in not being ashamed of My message. He needed to be strong morally and pursue the right things by avoiding immorality and evil in all its forms. My dear disciple, being strong is not just about your will power. It is also about your commitment to be strong through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you. Nevertheless, being strong does mean you have chosen to be strong before your strength is tested. It is about a commitment to stay on track with things that matter. It is the discipline not to feel like you have to show yourself strong in things that don’t matter. I want you to be strong in the Scriptures. I want you always to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. I want you to trust the Spirit to strengthen you to make the right choices and do the right things, whether those choices and things seem easy or difficult. Choose to be strong and you will find that the holy reservoir of strength within you may surprise you! As Paul said to the Thessalonians: [T]he Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. (2 Thessalonians 3:3-5 NIV) Verses to Live As you read these verses, not only see how Paul encouraged Timothy to be strong, but also write down what the Holy Spirit is saying to you about being strong! But as for you, my child, be empowered by the grace that is in Jesus, the Anointed One. Whatever you heard me teach before an audience of witnesses, I want you to pass along to trustworthy people who have the ability to teach others too. As a good soldier of Jesus the Anointed, be ready to suffer with me. Remember that soldiers on active duty don’t get wrapped up in civilian matters because they want to satisfy those who recruited them. Look at it another way: if someone competes as an athlete, he won’t win the race and be crowned with the wreath if he breaks the rules. And the farmer who exhausts himself in the field should be the first to taste his harvest. Think about what I am telling you, and let the Lord give you clarity on all of it. Remember Jesus the Anointed, raised from the dead, descended from David’s royal line. This is the crux of my good news! This is why I suffer and why I am bound and chained like a lawbreaker. But God’s word is not in chains! That’s why I endure everything for the sake of God’s chosen: so that they might experience salvation with lasting, eternal glory through Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King. Here’s a statement you can trust: If we died with Him, we will live with Him. If we remain with Him, we will reign alongside Him. If we deny Him, we will be denied by Him. If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, For He is not able to deny Himself. Remind others about these things that I’m telling you. Warn them before God to stop their useless bickering over words. After all, splitting hairs does no good; it only ruins those forced to listen to their meritless arguments. Timothy, do everything you can to present yourself to God as a man who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the word of truth. Stay away from ungodly babbling because it will only lead deeper into a godless lifestyle. Once these empty voices start to speak, Timothy, they infect and spread; and soon the body is consumed with its cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus fell victim to it, and they walked away from the truth by claiming that the day of resurrection has already arrived. They are clearly disrupting the faith of some who are not well grounded. Regardless of what they do or say, God’s foundation is strong and firmly in place, etched with this seal: “The Lord knows the ones who belong to Him,” and, “Everyone who invokes the name of the Lord ought to stop doing what they know to be wrong.” Look, in the mansions of the rich and powerful you will find everything from silver and gold serving bowls to wooden containers and clay jars; some are used for special occasions — where honor is important — others are used for more mundane tasks. So tell them, if they will clean up their lives and purify themselves from dishonorable teachings that lead people astray, then they can become honorable vessels, consecrated and useful to the
Today’s Verse – Deuteronomy 10:20-21
Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. —Deuteronomy 10:20-21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What do you find yourself holding onto most often? What is your source of security, reassurance, hope, and stability in what frequently feels like troubled and perilous times? What do you encourage folks to do, and who do you encourage them to hold onto during their times of trouble? We humbly reverence God with a loving and holy fear that respects him for the many ways he has delivered us in the past and will deliver us in the future. One way we do this is in reverent praise that points our heart to him and takes our eyes off our troubles! My Prayer… Dear God and Abba Father, please be with several people we each know who are undergoing trials and temptations. Use us to bless them and encourage them. Please uphold them with your powerful hand. Finally, dear Father, strengthen and empower them to hold on to you through life’s storms. In Jesus’ name, we reverence you and enter your presence to find your grace. 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.