Today’s Verse – Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. —Psalm 23:6 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God is our Shepherd. Our Shepherd has chosen to attach his goodness and mercy to us. Why? Because our Shepherd longs to shower us with his goodness, mercy, grace, and love in this life now. Then, when this life is over, he will usher us home to dwell with him forever. We praise and thank our LORD God and the Son who shepherded us with their loving care and showered us with goodness with ever-increasing blessing in this life, and the life to come, when we “will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Father God, please bathe my heart in your goodness and reach out through me and use my influence to extend your love to others who desperately need it. Please guide my heart as I live to experience my home with you, and you make your home with me (John 14:23). In Jesus’ name, I thank you and praise you for being my Shepherd. 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.
26 Sep 2025
May our desire to know God more never diminish, and may He honour us by allowing us to know Him more. I pray that He will hold us by the hand and keep guiding us, that He will speak to us and allow us to experience Him over and over again. May He become our go-to guy for everything. Psalm 25:1-9.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. —Psalm 23:5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Our verse from the beautiful and comforting twenty-third psalm contains this stunning image of our Shepherd preparing us a victory dinner table in the presence of our vanquished enemies. While the enemies of the righteous may flourish for a season, God will lavish his love and show his favor on the righteous. As the apostle Paul reminded his dear friends in Philippi, their prayers and the work of the Holy Spirit guaranteed his deliverance: he would either be delivered from prison and death to serve them again, or he would be delivered from prison through death to be with the Father in glory (Philippians 3:19-21). Either way, God’s righteous will get a banquet, a place of honor, and a royal welcome that will vindicate their faithfulness before those who oppose them. Our Shepherd will prepare a victory banquet for us, while the evil one and his minions will be cast out in horror forever, as we share in Jesus’ victory forever. My Prayer… Father, King of the ages, I do believe that you will throw a party in our honor and treat us as your royal children worthy of great honor – to sit at your table in glory. Thank you for this promise. Thank you for the assurance of our ultimate vindication and victory. Thank you for making my life overflow with your love and grace, both now and forever. In Jesus’ name we praise 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.
25 Sep 2025
May the Lord keep revealing Himself to us in all our circumstances. May He be Jireh to those who need provision, Rapha to those who need healing, Elohim, Shaddai, etc. He is so versatile, and that is what makes Him unique. May He supply every need to the amazement of His people. Philippians 4:15-19.
24 Sep 2025
As our knowledge of God increases through our experiences, may our faith keep growing, for our sake and for the sake of those connected to us. May the Lord be glorified through this process. Ephesians 2:10.
Today’s Verse – Proverbs 10:24
What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted. —Proverbs 10:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The wicked fear the triumph of goodness, holiness, and righteousness. The wicked fear not being in control. The wicked fear death overtaking them. The righteous, however, desire the triumph of goodness, holiness, and righteousness. The righteous ones offer their lives to be controlled by the Holy Spirit of God and guided by the Spirit-inspired Scriptures. The righteous recognize death as an enemy, but one that their Savior has already conquered. In times like these, isn’t it comforting to know that the fear of the wicked is really all they can be sure of receiving, while the glory of the Father, his angels, the Son, and the Holy Spirit await us, as his righteous children, in that glory! My Prayer… O LORD God, please bring your justice, mercy, and righteousness to triumph in the lives of all who seek after you and your will – those who are seeking to be truly righteous. Please make our hearts and behaviors more consistent with your will. Please stir in us a bold passion to lead those to Christ who do not yet know you – those who pursue evil, have wickedness in their hearts, and who perpetrate the brokenness and sinfulness of our current age. Until Jesus returns, we pray for righteousness to triumph 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.
Daily Prayer for September 24
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:24–25, NIV Dear Father in heaven, we long to be your children and to grow closer and closer to eternal life with all its goodness and truth. In your love to us your children, bless us as we walk on earth under great stress and temptation. Keep us from going astray, and let what you have placed in our hearts grow toward perfection, to your glory and your honor. May our hearts always know the joy that our struggle and suffering are not in vain, that if we are faithful, we may bring forth the fruit of righteousness. Amen. Recent articles on Plough The Case of Gottliebin Dittus Charles E. Moore In a Black Forest village, a pastor battled demons and witnessed miracles. Read now André Trocmé in His Own Words André Trocmé In his newly published memoir, the French pastor tells how his village offered sanctuary to thousands of Jews facing deportation to concentration camps. Read now Your Friends Are Not in Your Phone Mary Townsend Like many educators, I dread another school year with AI. But a greater threat lurks close at hand. Read now Preaching with Power Fleming Rutledge When you set out to proclaim the gospel, spare us your personal anecdotes and opinions. Read now The Politics of Pagan Christianity James R. Wood Today’s nationalist Christians should heed the message of the anti-Nazi theologian Henri de Lubac. Read now
Today’s Verse – Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” —Luke 9:23 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Offering ourselves to God isn’t a one-time event. We learned that yesterday – we offer ourselves, we offer our bodies to God as a living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). We are committing to die to our selfish wills and follow Jesus daily, obeying him as we live to honor him. As the LORD Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane with the Father, we must face our daily challenge to “take up [my] cross daily,” putting our selfish wills on the cross, and crying out, “Not my will, but yours be done,” Abba Father (Luke 22:42). My Prayer… Dear Father, thank you for sending Jesus as my Savior. LORD Jesus, I want to follow you completely. I don’t want it to be half-hearted or hypocritical. I yearn for your life to be seen in me each day. So please, LORD, humble me gently, and show me the areas where I need to soften my heart and have the Spirit shape my character, so that I can more perfectly reflect your glory, grace, and character to those around me. In Jesus’ name, I ask for the Father’s help in taking up my cross and following the way of Jesus, each and every 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.
23 Sep 2025
We have experienced many things over the years, and these have shaped our thinking. There are many issues we have probably given up on and accepted as they are. There may be some that the Lord would like to change. May He come through, and may our knowledge of Him increase. Mark 9:14-29.
Today’s Verse – Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. —Romans 12:1-2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The motivation for our holiness is God’s incredible mercy and grace already given to us in Jesus. We offer ourselves to him because he has already shown us his love through the sacrifice of Jesus. As we offer ourselves to honor him, we are worshipping him – “this is your spiritual act of worship.”. As we refuse to be molded into the lifestyle of the world, we offer our LORD praise through our actions. As we consistently do these things with our lives, God’s character becomes more and more apparent in our lives. With the Spirit’s help, we are daily being transformed to be more like Jesus with ever-increasing glory (2 Corinthians 3:18) as we display the character traits of God by the power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). This, my friends, is true worship: not just in a church building but in all of life. My Prayer… Father, as the old hymn says, “Have thine own way, LORD… mold me and make me after thy will!” I gladly offer you my heart, my life, and my future to use to your glory. Have your way in me and use me for your glory. Have your way in me and use me for your glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray and worship you in all of my life (Colossians 3:17; Hebrews 13:15-16). 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.