Today’s Verse – 1 John 5:4
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. —1 John 5:4 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Our verse today is the companion passage to 1 John 2:17: The world and its desires are passing away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever. Our destinies and futures are not limited to the boundaries of our temporary existence as mortal passengers on our “tiny blue planet” in the vast enormity of the universe. Our future and our hope burst the boundaries of mortality and are tied to our faith in our resurrected and victorious Savior, who is coming back to bring us to his eternal home. This faith is displayed by doing God’s will even when most people in our contemporary culture choose to chase what is fleeting and transient. Why? Because we await a better world, a new heaven and earth where life is free of earthbound limitations and human frailties and sin (Philippians 3:20-21; Hebrews 11:14-16; 2 Peter 3:13). Yet we still yearn for that future world to burst forth in our mortal world and change people to await the Savior with us. We seek to partner with God in doing just that! My Prayer… Thank you, dear Father, for the assurance of victory, immortality, reunion, and joy. O, Holy Spirit, please help me hold onto this hope as I await the glorious return of my conquering Savior, Jesus Christ, my LORD, in whose 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.
04 Aug 2025
This is how loving and devoted God is to those He loves. Even when they go against His instruction, He remains faithful to His promises. Nehemiah 9:16-21
Today’s Verse – Romans 8:31-32
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? —Romans 8:31-32 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We know God paid a high price to redeem and forgive us in Jesus when we were unworthy of such grace (Romans 5:6-11). If the Father has gone to such great lengths to purchase our pardon, what will he refuse us that is good, right, and holy? Nothing! So if God answers our prayers, “No!” then it is for the good and eternal well-being of those for whom we’ve prayed. God intends to comfort and liberate, not wound and enslave. He desires to redeem and bless, not deny or limit his grace. His commitment is to work all things out for our ultimate good as he is transforming us to be more like his beloved Son (Romans 8:28-29). If God offered us Jesus, what will he withold? My Prayer… Dear Father, I confess that I am sometimes impatient and disappointed when my prayers do not seem to get the immediate response I desire. Please calm and quiet my doubting heart. Please remind my spirit of your rich grace. Bring your comfort and assurance through the ministry of your Holy Spirit to my often vacillating human spirit. I believe that you want to bring me your blessing and grace. Although I may not always understand the bad things that happen in my life or why you delay in fixing them or liberating me from them, I trust that you are at work to make them all work for my good and your glory. In Jesus’ name, I wait and pray as I trust in 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.
Today’s Verse – Isaiah 61:1-2a
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn… —Isaiah 61:1-2a Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus read this passage at a synagogue in Nazareth to define his ministry (Luke 4:14-19). He came to preach good news for the poor, to bind up the broken, to announce freedom for those who were captives, to bring deliverance from the powers of darkness to the prisoners of addiction and evil, to proclaim grace because of God’s favor, and to offer comfort to those grieving. Jesus also made clear God had a sharp edge to his justice, settling the score with those who were exploiters and abusers of the powerless. Since Jesus has sent us into the world as the Father sent our Savior (John 20:21-23), shouldn’t our mission be to do something similar to what our LORD did? My Prayer… Through the power and wisdom of your Holy Spirit, who longs to work powerfully in and through us, please open my eyes, dear LORD. Help us see those you put in our paths with whom you want us to share your grace, deliverance, and comfort. Use us to speak up for those who are exploited, mistreated, and abused. In Jesus’ name, we ask for your power and strength to bring redemption and hope to the lost around us. 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.
Out Fishing the Fisherman
What happens when Jesus confronts us in our area of strength? Many of us who claim to be Jesus’ disciples today treat our personal life like a roll top desk. Far more than dividing things into secular and sacred, each of us subdivides much of our life to help us cope with all our responsibilities, interests, and personas. We keep our different areas of interest and involvement separate from each other in separate cubbyholes. If we are honest, we even keep a few of our areas of interest very separate from our “God stuff.” We simply don’t want our spiritual interests interfering with these other areas of self-interest! So we have a cubbyhole for recreation. We have another for vacation. We keep a special drawer full of stuff for work responsibilities, relationships, and politics. We also have a cubby for parenting, hobbies, and investing. We even have a “God stuff” cubby for our Christian “Facebooking” as well as our church friends and church life. If we’re completely honest, some of us also have an “opposite of God stuff” internet cubby. This place is where we keep all sorts of things we really don’t want God to interfere or influence what we do. When things get really messy, we pull down the roll top desk and everything looks “fine” on the outside to others. We punch our “I’m fine!” button and head to church, pray for help, read Ann Voskamp, check out Max Lucado books, or seek a counselor. The problem is everything on our inside is a scrambled and mixed up mess. Under the roll top, there is no ordering Lord to bring coherence and purpose to our multi-personalised jumbled up mess. Which brings us to this week’s “Saved at Sea” segment with Jesus. Jesus’ entourage followed him to the seashore on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. This part of the sea of Galilee was called Lake Gennesaret. Peter and his homie-fishing buddies were washing their nets after a long night of work. Suddenly they were overrun by the God-squad of people wanting to hear Jesus and see one of his miracles. One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat (Luke 5:1-3). Why did Jesus come to the seashore? He knew the crowd would follow him there. Sure, the acoustics were good in this place. Yes, a boat makes a great pulpit, and this location on the lake makes a great amphitheater. Is there possibly something more to this moment than just a good place for a sermon for the masses? Let’s ask another question and see if we can’t find out what’s going on in this important moment. Why did Jesus really interrupt Peter and his buddies? Did he need Peter’s boat or was he trying to win the heart of the boat owner? A quick reading of the story (Luke 5:1-11) sure seems to suggest that Jesus was on a “fishing expedition” of his own! Jesus commandeered a boat. He used this boat, the water, and the shape of the shoreline as his amphitheater. But, notice who owned the boat! Simon Peter, the guy who would one day be the leader of Jesus’ apostles. So as we pay close attention to what’s happening, we realize the audience that came to hear Jesus wasn’t Jesus’ target audience for this moment. Jesus was after bigger fish than a herd of fickle people who made up the crowds that often followed him! He was looking for dedicated disciples who would become world-changing disciple-makers. Jesus was looking for people who would do anything and give up everything to follow him… obey him… and carry on his mission. So instead of offering an invitation song or an altar call with 10 verses of “Just as I AM” to get the crowd to respond, Jesus surprisingly told Simon Peter, “Hey buddy, let’s go fishing!” When he [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4). However, there was a huge problem with what Jesus said. Everybody who knew anything about fishing in Jesus’ day knew you didn’t go fishing with Peter’s kind of nets in daylight. Fish could see and avoid them. Also, everybody who knew anything about fishing in the Sea of Galilee knew you didn’t catch fish with these kinds of nets in deep water. They were most effective for fish near the surface. On top of that, everybody who knew anything about fishing in those days knew you needed to be fishing at night or in the dusk of dawn and sunset. You weren’t going to catch anything at the time of day Jesus was speaking to the crowds! What makes Jesus’ command all the more interesting, Simon Peter knew fishing better than “everybody who knew anything about fishing in Jesus’ day.” Fishing was Peter’s life. Fishing was Peter’s livelihood. He fished every day. He knew how to catch fish. He earned his living catching fish. He took care of his wife and family catching fish. He had partners with whom he fished regularly. So Peter knew what Jesus was asking was crazy, yet… Simon [Peter] answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5). In cornbread English, Peter is saying, “The fish aren’t biting, or I would have caught them last night. But if I am going to call you Lord over spiritual stuff, then I’d better let you be Lord of all my stuff… even the stuff I know
Today’s Verse – Psalm 31:1
In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. —Psalm 31:1 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… When all the clutter is stripped away, what is your real hope? When you push aside the diplomas, awards, accolades, and honors, what is the basis of your significance? Only one source for hope and only one basis of significance is trustworthy. Only One endures forever! Only our Father in heaven guarantees that the significance of our life endures. So let’s place our hope in the LORD. Let’s see him as our refuge. Let’s trust that he will deliver us because he is righteous and we have placed our hopes in him. My Prayer… O LORD, God and Redeemer of our Fathers, Keeper of your many promises, thank you for allowing us to place our hope, future, and significance in your hands. Please give us the courage and the confidence to know that you will not let us be put to shame, but will share with us your righteousness and claim us as your special possession on that day when we stand in your presence in glory. In Jesus’ name, we anticipate that day as 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.
31 Jul 2025
Christ Jesus showed us an example of the love of God and, consequently, what God looks like. So, when we demonstrate love, we show what God looks like. May the world see what God looks like as we live our lives here on earth. 1 John 4:12.
Today’s Verse – Matthew 7:1
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. —Matthew 7:1 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Am I judgmental? Can I assume I can judge another person’s intent? Am I critical and negative about the actions of others? Jesus wants us all to realize that only he can accurately know the motivations of someone’s heart. When we are harsh or bitingly critical in our judgment of others, we are setting the standard by which God will judge us. I don’t know about you, but I’m not willing to exchange God’s grace for my unreasonable and judgmental harshness. I’m going to work harder at viewing others with mercy and grace, just as the Savior did when he died to save me (Romans 5:6-11). My Prayer… O, dear God, please forgive me for the times when I have been unfairly harsh and critical with my thoughts and actions toward others. Thank you for being so rich and free with your mercy and grace lavished on me in Jesus. O, LORD, I long to be more gracious and merciful in the way I live with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray to grow and become more JESUShaped, especially in my graciousness toward others. 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.
30 Jul 2025
We have an excellent example of love that we can emulate. That is God Himself. He loved us so much that He sent His son that we may live through Him. The least we can do is love one another and demonstrate His love. May His love live in us. 1 John 4:9-11.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 30:5
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. —Psalm 30:5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God has been, is, and will be the God of all comfort for both his Old Covenant and New Covenant people (Isaiah 40:1-3; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5). Even when he deals harshly with our sin and rebellion, it is for our good. God’s discipline will last only a short while, and then it gives way to rejoicing and the thrill of salvation, redemption, restoration, and renewal. If you are in a time of discipline or facing the cruel consequences of your sin, please don’t give up. Morning will come, and on that dawn will come God’s gracious healing, joy, and complete salvation, restoration, renewal, and joy. The morning of rejoicing is more than worth the wait through the long, dark nights of weeping! My Prayer… Father, please bless your children who are facing hardships and difficulties. Please help them endure through “the night” so that when your dawn comes, they can experience the great rejoicing that lies ahead with you. In particular, LORD, please specifically bless the following people with the strength to endure their hard nights of weeping and bring them into your morning of joy. (Let’s mention several people by name who need this blessing!) 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.