Today’s Verse – 1 John 4:11
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. —1 John 4:11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The Creator of the Universe loves us personally. He knows us and made us intentionally. Our Heavenly Father cares about us tremendously. Although God knew about our weaknesses and sinfulness, he was willing to pay a terrible and outrageous price to redeem us. Even though we are sometimes weak or rebellious, he still loves us, forgives us, and welcomes us back when we are willing to confess our sins, turn from them, and come home to him. So if God has consistently, faithfully, and graciously loved us, how can we not share that love with each other? My Prayer… Thank you, Abba Father, for your awesome and gracious love. Please continue to pour your love into my heart through your Holy Spirit. Help me be more forgiving, patient, and sacrificial in my love with your children. 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.
Today’s Verse – 1 John 4:9
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. —1 John 4:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Showing love means sharing God’s grace and giving life to someone else. No one has demonstrated this principle as fully as Jesus! His sacrifice saved us and brought us fresh and eternal life from God. God wants us to show this love to others in ways they can understand and appreciate that love and can know the love God has for them. They see God’s love in how we live as love draws them closer to our loving Father through us. My Prayer… Holy LORD, my heavenly Father, thank you for today. Please help me share my life with someone else who needs to experience your grace. Please help me notice those who are wounded and give me wisdom on the best way to lead them lovingly back to you. 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 – 1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. —1 John 4:8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… An unloving person doesn’t know God. It’s that simple. Enough said. No more words are needed. So, let’s seek the Holy Spirit’s power, poured into our hearts by God’s grace, so we can love as God has loved us (Romans 5:5). My Prayer… Father, please bless me with a loving heart and a lifestyle that generously shares your love with others. To help me do this as I should, as you want me to love, please keep pouring your love into my heart through the Holy Spirit. 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 – 1 John 4:7
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. —1 John 4:7 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The old song from the musical “Oliver” asks, “Where, oh where, is love?” This is an excellent question! Where does love come from? How is love defined and truly known? Love is with God. Love comes from God. Love is the key attribute of God. Love is from God. Love is of God. Do you want to be more loving? Do you want to find greater intensity in your love? Do you want to know how to love others who are hard to love? Look to God. And where do we see God’s love most clearly? Jesus! Look at how God demonstrates his love for us through Jesus. Over and over in the past and now even in our lives today. Once we notice how God loves, we can commit to loving others as God has loved us! My Prayer… Holy God, I want to show that you are my Father by loving others more perfectly. Please bless me as I seek to follow Jesus’ example in treating others with love. In the name of the LORD Jesus I ask for your grace to be loving like you, my Father. 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 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. —Psalm 84:11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Isn’t it wonderful that God doesn’t hold back on his goodness? The Father loves to give his children gifts. These gifts are all-encompassing. These gifts are gladly given. How do I know? Three ways: God has repeatedly blessed us. We can see what God has done to bless his people throughout the centuries. God’s Scriptures promise this to be true. God does not withhold from us! But what happens if we are not blameless? None of us are blameless on our own, yet in Christ, God sees us as his blameless children if we keep pursuing Jesus. As we do, the LORD blesses us with grace upon grace (John 1:16) Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Father, thank you for the many blessings you have poured into my life. I want to list several that are on my heart today. (Make a list of things you are thankful for and share them with God as we pray.) Most of all, Father, thank you for the gift of your Son and my Savior who allows me to come before you “holy in [your] sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”* I get to come before you confidently, knowing I will receive your gracious gifts and loving promises. In Jesus’ name, I rejoice as I pray to you. Amen. * Colossians 1:22-23.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 – Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. —Proverbs 19:21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What are your plans for today? If you are like me, you prayerfully plan your day. You make appointments with people for the future to address their needs, hear their concerns, or discuss issues and projects involving them or you. But we must always live humbly, recognizing that none of our plans will be valuable unless they come from the Father! My Prayer… Holy God and righteous Father, please bless me as I seek to discern your will for my plans and decisions. I recognize that each breath I take is a gift and that each success I enjoy is because of your grace. Please use me to bring you glory and help me find your path for my life. In the name of 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.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 22:5
They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. —Psalm 22:5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… This Psalm that begins with despair and is referred to by Jesus from the Cross, is also a Psalm of hope and faith. The history of God’s faithfulness with his people, Israel, is an ongoing reminder that we can trust him to deliver us despite the worst circumstances. In our human reckoning of time, God’s answer may seem slow in coming, yet God’s track record through history reminds us that the LORD will answer, deliver, and bless his people in heaven’s time. Nevertheless, in our worst nightmares, we can be reminded that God is faithful and attentive to our cries of despair, lament, grief, agony, and fear. What happened to Jesus on the cross didn’t end with the feelings of despair and abandonment of Psalm 22:1, but with the triumph of Psalm 22:23-24: You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. My Prayer… I ask, dear Father, that you bless your people everywhere who find themselves in difficult situations, whether persecution, oppression, violence, or martyrdom. Please empower them with your Spirit and bless them with a change for the better in their dire situations. Please hear the cries of your people and act swiftly for their protection, preservation, and vindication. In Jesus’ name, our conquering Savior, 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.
One of the Hardest ‘Miracles’
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, What’s the hardest miracle to perform? I know many of you would love to see some great miracle of your selection to help you believe. Yet all around you every day, some of the most amazingly wondrous transformations happen by divine power at work in My followers. As My disciples show in the verses below, one of the hardest of the wondrous transformations is for the power of grace to lead a wounded heart to forgive. This very important reality is the focus of My teaching about prayer and miraculous results. One of the hardest “miracles” to believe possible is forgiveness. I taught about this repeatedly in My ministry on earth. This teaching is rooted in the two greatest commands — to love the Lord your God with all you are and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). You cannot be wrong with your brother or sister on earth and be right with your Father in heaven. It’s that simple to say and yet very hard for the wounded human heart to love as it should. This teaching is also based on another essential reality: you do not truly appreciate the forgiveness you have received if you do not pass along that same grace of forgiveness to others (Matthew 6:14; Matthew 18:23-35; Ephesians 4:32). Yes, this is a hard truth. That’s why your forgiveness of others may be one of the hardest “miracles” to perform. Feeding 5,000? Not hard for Me with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Raising the dead? I have done that. Healing the blind, the lame, the paralyzed, the leprous? I have done that repeatedly. However, changing a wounded heart that has been abused and mistreated is so much harder because that change depends on the submission of the person to My will in spite of whatever may have happened to him or her. Grace has to permeate down to a broken and dark place in a person’s soul and capture it with the truth of what I did to redeem it. For you to genuinely forgive those who come in repentance and ask for forgiveness is a hard wonder to perform, but not impossible! What I want you to realize is that if you can have “faith the size of a single, tiny mustard seed”, then that “little faith can accomplish the seemingly impossible” — including turning your wounded heart into a gracious heart like Mine! Watch what I do as I journey toward Jerusalem to take up the cross. Remember My words of forgiveness. Remember why I did what I did — not because I wanted to face suffering and heartbreak, but because those who sinned and rejected Me, both then and in your day, need My forgiveness and grace. The same spirit of forgiveness and grace must be true of you as you deal with those who hurt you and sin against you. They need your grace displayed to them to understand the power of My grace. So when you forgive, don’t act like you deserve a medal for doing something hard. Yes, it is hard, very hard, and sometimes it feels impossibly hard. If you call yourself My disciple, that means you have committed to the lifestyle of the cross. Sometimes that will seem as hard for you to face as it was for Me to face the rejection, mockery, agony, and humiliation of My cross. Forgiving others is not only a sign that you have faith to follow My example of forgiveness. It also means that you realize that you are My servant and “unworthy of extra consideration or thanks” since you were just doing your “duty”. I don’t say that to be harsh, but to help you realize how important forgiveness is in My family of grace! Verses to Live I want you to know, My dear disciple, that much of My teaching during My journey to Jerusalem and the cross is challenging and sometimes just very hard to accept at a human level. It doesn’t make sense. It seems upside down to the way your world works. So I ask you again to watch Me and what I do on the way to My cross and all that goes with My passion. Redeeming a lost world means living a radical discipleship. I wasn’t crucified because I was a nice sweet man. I was crucified because I was a loving, kind, gentle, truth-telling world-changer Who lived the character and compassion of God before a world opposed to His ways. I call you to follow Me in this world-changing lifestyle! Jesus (to His disciples): You can’t stop temptations to do wrong from coming. But how tragic it will be for the person who becomes the source of the temptation! It would be better if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. So each of you needs to be careful. If your brother sins against you, confront him about it, and if he has a change of mind and heart, then forgive him. Even if he wrongs you seven times in a single day, if he turns back to you each time and says he’s sorry and will change, you must forgive him. The Lord’s Emissaries: We don’t have enough faith for this! Help our faith to grow! Jesus (pointing to a nearby mulberry tree): It’s not like you need a huge amount of faith. If you just had faith the size of a single, tiny mustard seed, you could say to this huge tree, “Pull up your roots and replant yourself in the sea,” and it would fly through the sky and do what you said. So even a little faith can accomplish the seemingly impossible. Imagine this scenario. You have a servant — say he’s been out plowing a field or taking care of the sheep — and he comes in hot and sweaty from his
Today’s Verse – Psalm 1:4
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. —Psalm 1:4 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We have spent time in Psalm 1 for the last several days. We looked at those whose delight is in the LORD. Today, we focus on the end of those who resist the will and way of God and choose the way of evil. No matter the temporary apparent benefits of wicked schemes and the power of evil, all their efforts are marred by a hellish influence that ends at the grave. All their efforts are blown away, leaving each of the wicked with nothing to show for their life except the rot of wasted time on earth as they stand before the righteousness and justice of God. Only finding our delight in the way, will, and words of God will lead us to life everlasting and unending joy! My Prayer… Dear Father, please help me resist the temptation to idolize and exalt those who succeed through evil devices, schemes, methods, and plans. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide my heart as I seek your Kingdom and righteousness above all other things. 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.
A Matter of Obedient Trust
Note from Jesus Dear Friend, I talked to you yesterday about managing your assets with spiritual wisdom — about investing your assets in the places where you saw Me invest My life and in the things the Father talked to you about in the Scriptures (the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings). So this is a good time to build on that principle and add a very important insight. In today’s parable in the verses below, you meet a foolish rich man who lived only for himself and neglected the people in need around him. This rich man invested his assets in what he wanted and in what made him feel important, secure, and powerful. What he did and how he did it went against the teaching of the Scriptures. The things that he did were clearly out of phase with the people and things in which I invested My life. So the rich man is everything opposite to what I taught you yesterday — he is the anti-hero. This situation is sad. Even sadder is his neglect of a brother in need at his doorstep. The Father dealt with this rich man as He said He would. There are no surprises for anyone who knows the Scriptures. Unfortunately, the rich man didn’t realize his foolishness until after his untimely death and because of the punishment he had brought on himself. So I want to remind you to use your blessings to care for your brothers and sisters in need; that’s investing in what matters in heaven! While that’s a very important point and fits perfectly with what I taught yesterday, that’s not the main thing that I want you to focus upon today. People want to blame their lack of passion, their lack of focus on godliness, and their lack of living with urgency for God’s kingdom on everything but themselves. They say things like: “I needed it made clearer.” “My church didn’t talk about these things.” “I really needed a couple of miracles to show that the teaching was true.” All that is a self-delusional rationalization. If folks don’t get the truth from Scripture, they are not going to believe it even if it is talked about more frequently or if the teaching is accompanied by a couple of miracles. Getting the message of Scripture is a matter of obedient trust in the truth of Scripture. If folks don’t believe the Scriptures, then it won’t matter to them even if someone comes back from the dead and shows them that this way of life is true. If you say you believe in God, then value what God values. Miracles won’t convince you if your heart chooses to be callous and greedy. Each of you must invest your life in things that align with the heart of God. His will, His character, and compassion must be the passion of each heart — your heart, My friend. So where is your heart? What is your focus? Are you listening to what Scripture teaches? Verses to Live You are saved by grace through faith — your New Testament makes this clear. Grace, however, not only saves you from the consequences of sin and death, grace also saves you for a life of character and compassion as My disciple. Read from My brother James (James 2:14-22) and also from the apostle Paul (Ephesians 2:1-10). Paul summarized it well when he said, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6 NIV). If you listen carefully to what I AM saying to you today and what I teach a little later, you will see that James and Paul were saying essentially the same thing I taught! Jesus (with another parable): There was this rich man who had everything — purple clothing of fine quality and high fashion, gourmet meals every day, and a large house. Just outside his front gate lay this poor homeless fellow named Lazarus. Lazarus was covered in ugly skin lesions. He was so hungry he wished he could scavenge scraps from the rich man’s trash. Dogs would come and lick the sores on his skin. The poor fellow died and was carried on the arms of the heavenly messengers to the embrace of Abraham. Then the rich fellow died and was buried and found himself in the place of the dead. In his torment, he looked up, and off in the distance he saw Abraham, with Lazarus in his embrace. He shouted out, “Father Abraham! Please show me mercy! Would you send that beggar Lazarus to dip his fingertip in water and cool my tongue? These flames are hot, and I’m in agony!” But Abraham said, “Son, you seem to be forgetting something: your life was full to overflowing with comforts and pleasures, and the life of Lazarus was just as full with suffering and pain. So now is his time of comfort, and now is your time of agony. Besides, a great canyon separates you and us. Nobody can cross over from our side to yours, or from your side to ours.” “Please, Father Abraham, I beg you,” the formerly rich man continued, “send Lazarus to my father’s house. I have five brothers there, and they’re on the same path I was on. If Lazarus warns them, they’ll choose another path and won’t end up here in torment.” But Abraham said, “Why send Lazarus? They already have the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets to instruct them. Let your brothers hear them.” “No, Father Abraham,” he said, “they’re already ignoring the law and the prophets. But if someone came back from the dead, then they’d listen for sure; then they’d change their way of life.” Abraham answered, “If they’re not listening to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be convinced even if someone comes back from the dead.” (Luke 16:19-31) Response in Prayer Father, thank You for Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. The change in the apostles from fear at