The Apocalypse
Note from Jesus Dear Precious One, During the first few decades after the completion of My incarnation on earth, sporadic persecution, seizure of properties, ostracism, prejudice, oppression, and executions were brought against My disciples. These persecutions were not throughout the Roman Empire, but there were several times of intense persecution tied to emperors of Rome. Nero was well known as a persecutor because of his power and time in history, as well as a number of events that happened under his rule. For example, there was the fire in Rome and his distaste for Christians as evidenced by the blaming of Christians for the fire and the subsequent execution of many of My disciples. Near the end of the first century, persecution erupted in Asia Minor connected to a cult that honored the emperor Domitian as “lord and god” — language almost identical to Thomas’ confession of Me after My resurrection (John 20:28). Some even hinted that Domitian was really Nero revived from the dead. Christians in Asia Minor — including in the cities listed at the end of your verses today — faced very difficult circumstances. My followers would call no one “Lord and God” but Me. Yet, any time they went to the market, visited the theater, went to their trade guild meetings, did business with the banks, or met politicians or members of the military in the street, they could be challenged to use those words to describe Domitian. When they refused, they faced severe reprisals as politicians in Asia Minor courted the favor and blessing of Domitian as they did with many emperors. The book of Revelation was written to give My disciples hope and remind them of their ultimate victory in Me. Over the next several days, we complete your journey through the New Testament. Our focus will be this Apocalypse: the message you now know as the book of Revelation. Because of his faith, My beloved disciple, John, was exiled off the coast of Asia Minor on the Isle of Patmos. I gave him this message on a Sunday. It was an unveiling or revelation in vision form that contained My message of encouragement to help the churches in Asia Minor as My precious people were facing hostility and persecution. The apocalyptic images of this book were well known when John wrote down this heavenly vision. The underlying message is pretty straightforward and clear. Unfortunately, this core message has often gotten lost in all the fascination with trying to identify the symbols and apply them to exact events and times in your day. The message basically is that Satan has used evil people to corrupt everything that humanity touches, especially places where humans come to power — for example, in the propaganda of politics, the use of the military, and the perversion of religion. In their corrupted form, the evil one has used these venues to mount pressure and persecution on My church and the people who are part of My family. Human and satanic powers were manipulating political agendas and propaganda, misusing the military, and corrupting religion. All these forces aligned to oppose My message, My church, and My people. The result was that the situation on earth looked bleak and hopeless when John received the Revelation. Yet, if My people remained faithful, they would share in My victory. The prayers of the martyrs and the persecuted were heard in heaven by the Father. The Spirit worked in the affairs of both human history and human powers to remove evil from its thrones of power. I would bring My people ultimate deliverance and victory. This cycle (evil people, alignment of powers, persecution, prayer for deliverance, and liberation) has been repeated down through history. Time is also moving toward an ultimate climax in which I will bring the final and ultimate victory for My church and her people. Evil will be banished. The evil one’s power to inflict hurt, damage, and death on My people will be stopped completely and eternally. The separation of the faithful from the Father’s throne will be removed. My people will enter into Our presence — the presence of the Father, Son, and Spirit. They will enjoy the blessings of unending life with Us in joyful fellowship and celebration. Today, we begin this last part of our year-long journey through the New Testament. Be blessed. Be faithful. Be confident. My resurrection guarantees your victory. My return guarantees your life, and your faithfulness will not be forgotten. My place in glory guarantees your joy will be unending. Verses to Live Read these verses slowly and carefully several times. Let the key words melt into your heart. Read these verses out loud. This is a book, an unveiling of My splendor and glory, that was written for your assurance and as a reminder that no matter when or where you live or how difficult the times, your victory with Me is assured and the evil that opposes and oppresses you won’t last. This is the revelation of Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King: an account of visions and a heavenly journey. God granted this to Him so He would show His followers the realities that are already breaking into the world and soon will be fulfilled. Through His heavenly messenger, He revealed to His servant John signs and insight into these mysteries. John, in turn, gave witness to the word of God and to the glorious truth revealed about Jesus, the Anointed One, the Chosen Ruler, by carefully describing everything he saw. Blessings come to those who read and proclaim these words aloud; blessings come to those who listen closely and put the prophetic words recorded here into practice. The finale is approaching. I, John, to the seven churches in Asia: May you experience God’s favor and rest in the peace that comes from the One Who is, the One Who was, and the One Who is coming; from the seven Spirits, the Perfect Spirit, constantly before God’s throne; and
Today’s Verse – Jeremiah 11:10
They have returned to the sins of their forefathers, who refused to listen to my words. They have followed other gods to serve them. Both the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant I made with their forefathers. —Jeremiah 11:10 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Sometimes, those with the most significant opportunities for God’s blessings spurn them and fall back into the sinful habits of their past heritage and culture. The consequences of their rejection of God and his will are enormous. Israel and Judah are our cautionary warnings from the Old Covenant. For the last ten days in our devotionals, we’ve anticipated our glorious future as God’s children and feasted on the promises of what lies ahead for us in our walk with Christ. Unfortunately, some never climb on board the train of grace. They don’t follow God. They don’t believe in Jesus. They disdain those who do. In the face of their rejection of God and their criticisms of us, let’s ensure we are truly faithful to God’s calling, not just in word but also in heart and deed. My Prayer… Dear Heavenly Father, I look forward to being with you. Yet, dear Father, I face many challenges in my commitment to be faithful. I don’t want to fall into the evil and sinful habits of some who have gone before me and rebelled against you. Please empower my faith to be like those who served you wholeheartedly and embrace my future in glory with Jesus joyfully (Colossians 3:1-4). Please, dear Father, deliver me from any impure deed or thought as I surrender myself wholeheartedly to your will. 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.
Glory Awaits!
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, As My apostle Paul’s death grew near, he was confident of his deliverance as well as My return. Hear his beautiful words of faith: 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). (2 Timothy 4:6-8) Glory awaits. A new heaven and a new earth await. Your reward for a life of faithfulness awaits. There will come a time when your suffering will melt away into the glorious deliverance that I will bring you. I will bring justice and comfort for all who have waited patiently and endured injustice, hardship, pain, and anguish for My sake (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). Throughout the centuries since My first coming to earth, My disciples have awaited My triumphant return. I have not forgotten. I will return at the time appointed by the Father (Mark 13:32). I will come, and you will share in My glory because you have placed your faith, your life, and your future in My hands (Colossians 3:1-4). So be faithful. Don’t give in to despair. Remember My promises for those who long for My appearing: At the end of time, I will bring the fullness of My kingdom and the full experience of My glory to My people forever. Your adoption into glory with Me is coming and will bring everlasting grace to you! Verses to Live Your world is struggling with its brokenness and decay. You struggle with your own mortality and the injustice and unfairness in your world. You are tired of saying goodbye in death to precious people you love. If you are bone-weary because of physical, emotional, and spiritual pain, please know, dear beloved, that these problems will all disappear with My return. Glory awaits! Now I’m sure of this: the sufferings we endure now are not even worth comparing to the glory that is coming and will be revealed in us. For all of creation is waiting, yearning for the time when the children of God will be revealed. You see, all of creation has collapsed into emptiness, not by its own choosing, but by God’s. Still He placed within it a deep and abiding hope that creation would one day be liberated from its slavery to corruption and experience the glorious freedom of the children of God. For we know that all creation groans in unison with birthing pains up until now. And there is more; it’s not just creation—all of us are groaning together too. Though we have already tasted the firstfruits of the Spirit, we are longing for the total redemption of our bodies that comes when our adoption as children of God is complete— for we have been saved in this hope and for this future. But hope does not involve what we already have or see. For who goes around hoping for what he already has? But if we wait expectantly for things we have never seen, then we hope with true perseverance and eager anticipation. (Romans 8:18-25) The day of the Lord will come unexpectedly like a thief in the night; and on that day, the sky will vanish with a roar, the elements will melt with intense heat, and the earth and all the works done on it will be seen as they truly are. Knowing that one day all this will come to pass, think what sort of people you ought to be — how you should be living faithful and godly lives, waiting hopefully for and hastening the coming of God’s day when the heavens will vanish in flames and the elements melt away with intense heat. What will happen next, and what we hope for, is what God promised: a new heaven and a new earth where justice reigns. (2 Peter 3:10-13) I looked again and could hardly believe my eyes. Everything above me was new. Everything below me was new. Everything around me was new because the heaven and earth that had been passed away, and the sea was gone, completely. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride on her wedding day, adorned for her husband and for His eyes only. And I heard a great voice, coming from the throne. A Voice: See, the home of God is with His people. He will live among them; They will be His people, And God Himself will be with them. The prophecies are fulfilled: He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; Mourning no more, crying no more, pain no more, For the first things have gone away. (Revelation 21:1-4) Response in Prayer O God, my Father, give me strength, courage, endurance, and faith to trust in Jesus’ coming. I long for that day, Father. I trust that justice, mercy, and grace are on the way and will triumph over injustice, violence, and death and that I will share in Jesus’ reign for ever and ever. In His 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 – Isaiah 11:9
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. —Isaiah 11:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Isaiah is describing the magnificent time of the Messiah’s last days glorious coming (Isaiah 11:1-9). We will know God personally, and the vast chorus of the faithful will sing joyfully because we know God. We will enjoy his protection and be free of fear. As great as the oceans are, the intimate knowledge of the LORD will be greater, still. The earth will be filled with those who know God. All creation will be redeemed and experience the glorious freedom of the children of God (Romans 8:18-21). Let’s anticipate that day and join our hearts in pursuit of God — to know him and experience the love he longs to lavish on us. Let’s not settle for merely factual knowledge about God, but let’s also come to truly know him by sharing in his work, character, mercy, and love as we seek his presence in our lives. My Prayer… Dear Father, please bring me near. I need to experience your presence no matter what today brings. I want you to be my eternal Shepherd who watches out over me, one of his lambs. I want to know you as my Redeemer, Savior, and Friend as I await the day that dawns with what Isaiah prophesied so many years ago. In Jesus’ name, I anticipate the dawning of that glorious day. 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.
Strong Words of Warning!
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, The verses you will read today contain strong warnings and harsh language for false teachers. These false teachers were leading My followers astray. They were creating havoc in the fellowship meals (“love feasts”) and gatherings of My disciples. These false teachers were self-absorbed and had perverted grace to justify their sinful lifestyles. The first set of verses you read comes from the first part of Jude. These verses are so similar to 2 Peter chapter 2 that I include only Jude’s words for today’s reading. The second set of verses comes from 2 Peter chapter 3. The third set comes from the end of Jude’s short letter. He concludes his letter with praise for the Father. He reminds My disciples that the Father is the only One Who can save them and He will do just that! The short little letter called Jude is best understood more like a “tract for troubled times.” It is an emergency note written with urgency. The second chapter of 2 Peter contains very similar wording: Depraved souls who stand condemned have made a mockery of the grace given to you, using it as a pretext for a life of sinful excess, lived without any thought of God. Both Peter and Jude used images from the Old Testament and also reminded their readers of the punishment the Father brought on rebellious and wanton sinners. These images were written as warnings to My disciples so that they would recognize the gravity of the false teaching and the false teachers who spread it. These false teachers were “dreamers who have slipped in and defiled your community, rejected those in charge, and insulted the glorious majesty of the heavenly messengers.” Jude had intended to send a much happier letter of encouragement centered on the salvation the disciples shared. However, his heart was so troubled by these false teachers that he sent his short message about them instead. Peter had a very similar strong teaching that paralleled Jude’s message as he addressed similar problems. He followed his warning about these false teachers with teaching about the judgment coming on those who are godless and make life difficult for My disciples and lead them astray. He described that coming judgment in terms consistent with the fate of the false teachers described in Jude’s note. I want you to notice the strong language used for those who perverted grace into an excuse for immorality and who “lived without any thought of God.” I also want you to recognize that both of these writers ended their messages with encouragement. They were confident that the Father would continue to work in the lives of My disciples and bring them complete salvation. Until the time they fully experienced salvation, Jude reminded My followers to care for each other. They were to deal with those who had been influenced by the false teachers based on their need and what led them to fall away: [Y]ou must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. (Jude 1:22-23 NLT) Jude’s last words are especially encouraging and helpful. Carefully notice the third set of verses below. They are beautiful, reliable, and very practical. Remember, you cannot save yourself; your salvation depends on the Father’s grace and your trust in Him. Your Father is good. He can and will transform you and bring you to Himself as His pure and holy child. Verses to Live Please read straight through these verses as one continuous reading. I want you to get the flow of the message. Look for the strong language that Peter and Jude used to describe the false teachers. Also, look for the encouragement offered at the end of the second and third sets of verses. I AM confident in good things with you and your faith. But I also want you to be aware that there are false teachers who will try to lead you away from Me. So keep your focus on the Father, walk with Me in the Spirit. Jude, a slave of Jesus the Anointed and a brother of James, to you, the ones whom God our Father loves and has called and whom Jesus, the Anointed One, has kept. Kindness, peace, love — may they never stop blooming in you and from you. Friends, I have been trying to write you about our common salvation. But these days my heart is troubled, and I am compelled to write to you and encourage you to continue struggling for the faith that was entrusted to the saints once and for all. Vile men have slithered in among us. Depraved souls who stand condemned have made a mockery of the grace given to us, using it as a pretext for a life of excess, lived without any thought of God. These poor fools have denied Jesus the Anointed, our one Lord and Master. You have heard the stories many times, and the Spirit has enlightened you about their meaning, but you still need to be reminded. Remember when the Lord saved our ancestors from the land in Egypt? He breathed life into their earthen lungs and took back the life from those who did not believe. And God has kept the rebellious heavenly messengers bound and chained in utter darkness — shadowy gloom — until the time when His judgment arrives, because they failed to keep their rightful positions and abandoned their appointed realms. Sodom and Gomorrah and all their neighbors were defeated by their own sexual perversions as they pursued the strange and unnatural impulses of the flesh. Let these who went their own way and are experiencing the eternal heat of God’s vengeance — a punishment by fire — be a warning to you. These stories are examples to help you understand the fate of those dreamers who have slipped
Today’s Verse – Deuteronomy 11:8
Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess… —Deuteronomy 11:8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God desires that we obey his will, and that will is not arbitrary, impulsive, or unfair. Our Father wants us to reflect his character, rest in his blessing, and receive his strength to restore our freedom as he delivers us from bondage. Let’s not look at his call for us to obey him as merely something we must do but as our opportunity to step into the life of blessing that we discover in God’s grace. God commands us to obey him so that we can find the new frontiers of grace where he longs to lead us. Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… LORD and Father, thank you for revealing your will and calling me to obey it. I know you desire to share your blessings with me and bring me into your eternal presence. I choose to obey so I can have the strength to step into the life you long to give me as your obedient child. In Jesus’ name, I thank you. 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.
Peter’s Parting Exhortations
Note from Jesus Dear Precious Disciple, Much as 2 Timothy serves as a farewell message for Paul as he nears the end of his life, 2 Peter plays a similar role for the apostle Peter. He writes this letter to help churches to be able to resist false teachers and to know how to live productive lives of service and faithfulness after he is gone: I want to be certain you will be able to call these things to mind anytime you need them even after I am gone. Your verses today emphasize continued growth — adding this virtue to that virtue and to that virtue another virtue and to another virtue yet one more virtue… As Peter states, continued growth is necessary so that: [Y]ou will never be ineffective or unproductive in your relationship with our Lord Jesus. [Y]ou will never fall along the way; and you can be sure that you will be richly welcomed into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King. While each of these virtues from the verses below is important, the commitment to continued growth is especially important, and these virtues that Peter charges the disciples to have will then be byproducts of that continued growth. The Holy Spirit is at work transforming you to become ever more like Me (2 Corinthians 3:18), producing the character and compassion in you that you know as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Paul talked about not having arrived to full maturity, but pressing on to reach it personally (Philippians 3:12-16). Here Peter makes a similar point with My disciples in their own walk toward becoming conformed fully to My “divine nature.” The goal, as Peter states it, is this: [T]o reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One Who called us by His glory and virtue. Through these things, we have received God’s great and valuable promises, so we might escape the corruption of worldly desires and share in the divine nature. So as long as Peter can “draw breath,” he will “keep on stirring you [My disciples] up with these reminders”! As you read these verses, I hope you will feel the urgency in Peter’s words and recognize the importance of not losing your passion for growing to be more and more like Me. The “eternal kingdom” awaits you, so pursue My character and compassion — “the divine nature” — and know with assurance that My glory awaits you! Verses to Live The last words of people before they die are often etched into the memories of their loved ones. Peter is hoping that is exactly what happens with the words of this letter he is sending to My disciples. I have preserved these words for you so that their message can be etched into your memory and displayed in your lives. Their theme is simple and clear: “[G]row in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” Simon Peter, a servant and emissary of Jesus the Anointed One, to those who have received the same precious faith we share through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus the Anointed. I wish you a full measure of grace and peace as you grow in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One Who called us by His glory and virtue. Through these things, we have received God’s great and valuable promises, so we might escape the corruption of worldly desires and share in the divine nature. To achieve this, you will need to add virtue to your faith, and then knowledge to your virtue; to knowledge, add discipline; to discipline, add endurance; to endurance, add godliness; to godliness, add affection for others as sisters and brothers; and to affection, at last, add love. For if you possess these traits and multiply them, then you will never be ineffective or unproductive in your relationship with our Lord Jesus the Anointed; but if you don’t have these qualities, then you will be nearsighted and blind, forgetting that your past sins have been washed away. Therefore, brothers and sisters, work that much harder to confirm that God has called you and claimed you. If you do this, then you will never fall along the way; and you can be sure that you will be richly welcomed into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King. That is why I will keep reminding you of these things, even though I know that you believe them and have made these truths a part of your lives; as long as I draw breath, I know it is right for me to keep on stirring you up with these reminders. I know that soon I must die and lay down this old body that’s been my home — our Lord Jesus the Anointed has told me so. But before my exodus from this life, I want to be certain you will be able to call these things to mind anytime you need them even after I am gone. (2 Peter 1:1-15) Response in Prayer Father, life can wear me down and distract me. I can become bored and chase after things that don’t matter much, but that fascinate me. So I thank You for Peter’s words today that urge me to keep growing and pursuing a life that seeks to share in Your “divine nature” by growing in knowledge and in the experience of Your presence and nature. I offer myself afresh today, to be molded and conformed to Jesus, in Whose 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.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 11:7
For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face. —Psalm 11:7 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Can you think of any more blessed promise for those who seek to be righteous and long to honor God and his character? We will see God face-to-face! What a blessing! What a future! What an incredible Father! So let’s seek our Abba Father, the LORD God, with all heart, soul, mind, and strength until we get to see him as he is, face-to-face with God in all his glory (1 John 3:1-3). Why? Because we love our God who is righteous and are thankful he loves justice. My Prayer… Dear Father, Almighty King of the ages, thank you for your great and precious promises. Thank you for your righteousness. Thank you for your love of justice. Thank you for your mercy and grace. I genuinely look forward to the day I get to see you face-to-face with Jesus, in all your glory, sharing in your eternal presence forever! In Jesus’ name, I praise and thank you. 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.
Your Broken World
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, The beloved elder John wrote to My disciples because he deeply loved them and wanted them to find eternal life in me. His words to begin 3 John beautifully reveal this part of his heart: I, the elder, to Gaius, who is much loved by all and loved in truth by me. My beloved friend, I pray that everything is going well for you and that your body is as healthy as your soul is prosperous. I was thrilled when the brothers and sisters came and told me stories of your faithfulness as you continue to walk in the truth. The greatest joy in my life is hearing how my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 1:1-4) Each of John’s three letters at almost the end of your Bibles is short, yet full of practical truth filled with John’s genuine emotional connection to My disciples. John knew that his time was short. He knew the power of the “diabolical one”. He knew that the allure of the corrupted world was pervasive. Like Paul and Peter before him, John left words for My precious disciples urging them to stay on the right path. He warned them about being a stumbling block to others. He wanted them to demonstrate their love for Me in the way they lived. He wanted My disciples to follow My example of obedient love for the Father, compassion for those around Me, and moral purity in My dealings with all people. John urges these disciples to live faithfully through a series of encouragements and warnings that he repeated throughout his short letter of 1 John. As his chosen themes combine and repeat, working their way through his short letter, My beloved disciple gives you the truth on how to live in any age. His simple words serve as a necessary warning about the dangers of falling in love with the broken and sinful world. They remind My disciples of the importance of loving the truth, loving Me, and loving their brothers and sisters. Today you finish your readings in 1, 2, and 3 John. Hear John’s simple but powerful message as My will expressed through this faithful old apostle. Recognize this message as an important reminder preparing you for our coming journey into the book of Revelation. The world around you is broken. There is beauty in the created universe, but everything that humanity has touched has also been stained by sin’s grip on your world. Don’t be deceived by the world’s allure! Remember all that it offers you is temporary. The world can offer only a broken and temporary substitute for the eternal life I have shared with you. Don’t be surprised when the world doesn’t love you when you live for me: Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us — He calls us children of God! It’s true; we are His beloved children. And in the same way, the world didn’t recognize Him, the world does not recognize us either. (1 John 3:1) Brothers and sisters, don’t be shocked if the corrupt world despises you. (1 John 3:13) Even more, John doesn’t want you to get caught up in loving the world and being led away from Me. His words are true. His words are your warning. Don’t trade away the life I came to bring you for the temporary, fleeting, and corrupted enticements of the world! Verses to Live Take a few minutes and look up all the times the word “world” is used in John’s writings — the Gospel of John; 1, 2, and 3 John; and Revelation. The world, corrupted and lost, is a major theme for John. Not loving the things of this world was one of John’s primary concerns. The following verses can help you understand why John had these concerns. Contemplate his words. Heed them. Realize that I came to bring life to you. The underlined sentences at the end of today’s verses point out the contrast between the fleeting, temporary nature of the allures of your world and the eternal life that comes from doing God’s will. All the world’s enticements are really only cheap, fleeting, and shallow substitutes for the true life I long to give you. Don’t fall in love with this corrupt world or worship the things it can offer. Those who love its corrupt ways don’t have the Father’s love living within them. All the things the world can offer to you — the allure of pleasure, the passion to have things, and the pompous sense of superiority — do not come from the Father. These are the rotten fruits of this world. This corrupt world is already wasting away, as are its selfish desires. But the person really doing God’s will — that person will never cease to be. (1 John 2:15-17) Response in Prayer Give me strength, dear Father, to resist the allure of the world. I know in my heart that it is a poor and deadly substitute for the life that You have given me in Jesus. Sometimes, dear Father, the ridicule of those who don’t believe and the enticements of this world do distract me and lead me away from a whole-hearted dedication to you. Please forgive me. Sometimes my losses in this world have captured all of my energy in grief, anger, and confusion. Please strengthen and reclaim me. I know my world is broken, but it is the world I know. So please help me be strong as I keep my eyes on Jesus and seek His life and not the world’s shallow substitutes. It is in His 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 – Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. —Hebrews 11:6 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… And why do we serve God? Fear? A sense of obligation? Because our parents did? How about because we want to please God and bring the Father joy? How about because we believe in what God has done and will do for us? We believe that God sent his Son Jesus to die for our sins so we can be forgiven, cleansed, and adopted as his children into his forever family. What’s more, we believe that God longs to share his blessings with us and loves to reward those who believe in his grace and love. We believe! So, we earnestly, diligently, and passionately seek him! My Prayer… Dear Father, thank you for my faith and all those who helped me come to know you and your grace. Please bless me as I seek to share this faith with my family and friends. Thank you for the confidence that my life is secure in your love and victorious because of your power demonstrated in Jesus’ resurrection. And it is in his name, Jesus, that I offer you my thanks, praise, and heart. 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.