Today’s Verse – Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” —Matthew 5:13 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus never wanted us to give up our moral distinctiveness, our redemptive influence, or our loving impact on those around us just so we can be liked. The purpose of our presence in the world is to be the salt that preserves our culture from further moral decay, bitterness, spite, and other degrading social problems. And, we are to be the salt that seasons the bitter, dog-eat-dog world we live in with the salt of God’s grace and mercy. We are to be the salt of the earth, disciples that prevent decay and bring the sweet taste of Jesus to a lost world. My Prayer… Dear Holy and Majestic LORD, please empower me to resist being molded into the values of the world around me. Instead, dear Father, please use my distinctiveness as a Christian, a follower of Jesus, to bless others and expand the influence and impact of your Kingdom, doing so with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16). 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.
12 May 2025
The Lord is merciful, loving and gracious. He blesses us and protects us. His love endures forever. He will never leave us nor forsake us. So let us choose to give thanks and to exalt the Lord, for He is faithful. Psalm 138:1-8.
09 May 2025
But it all starts with choosing life, choosing God. I pray that you will choose life so that you and your children may live and love God, listen to His voice, and hold onto Him. He is your life, and He will bless you. Deuteronomy 30:19.
ToGather: Thanking God for Our Women of Faith (November 28, 2021)
Many of us have experienced the goodness of God through the life of a woman of faith who helped shape us and mold us in our personal walk with Jesus. We’re glad you joined us for ToGather.church! (Find out more about ToGather.) Today, in conjunction with our Verse of the Day, we give thanks for God’s women in our lives and in the history of faith. Our songs for this ToGather are by Grammy or Dove award-winning singers who express their faith through song. We pray you are blessed and will join in each of these songs! Opening with Praise in Word and Song: We begin our ToGather worship with CeCe Winans and an anthem dedicated to the “Goodness of God”: Many have experienced the goodness of God through the influence of faithful women. These women helped shape us and mold us in our walk with Jesus. Our opening prayer is an adaptation of several of Paul’s reminders to his son in the faith, Timothy, about the origin of his faith, his mother and grandmother, who taught him the Scriptures and demonstrated to him their courageous faith: Father, many of us have a deep and sincere faith in Jesus because of the influence of faithful women — our grandmothers, mothers, Sunday school teachers, friends, and mentors. Their faith is alive in us because they taught and demonstrated the heart of Jesus to us. So, dear Father, we ask that what we have learned from them will be alive in us. Their consistent care to live Jesus and teach us the Scriptures has enabled us to be wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. We pray that the legacy we pass on to those who follow us will be an ongoing tribute to these women and their faith passed down to us. We ask that the Spirit empower us to live this faith in the mighty name of Jesus, our Lord. Amen. Focusing on the Scriptures: Our message for ToGather is on giving thanks for the women of faith in our personal stories and in the Scriptures, which is also our emphasis in the Verse of the Day: Her children arise and call her blessed;her husband also, and he praises her:“Many women do noble things,but you surpass them all.”(Proverbs 31:28-29) In this ToGather, we choose to remember that Jesus highly values women of faith. He demonstrated their value by their constant presence in His ministry who remained faithful through the Passion when the male disciples did not. The early church advanced through the ministry and courage of such godly women. Many of us have faith because of the love, grace, and perseverance of faithful women in our lives. So, let’s join Lauren Daigle and remind each of our women of faith of their value to us as we sing “You Say”: Phil’s message is a blending together of our time of Thanksgiving (in North America), his own experience this week with his wife’s loving preparation before her surgery, and the emphasis of our Verse of the Day: Following on Phil’s message, let’s join with Mahalia Jackson’s emotional presentation of the old hymn, “Precious Lord,” as a personal prayer and a prayer for all women of faith, everywhere: Sharing The Supper: The beautiful song, “Forever,” with by Kari Jobe, is a moving account of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus and a joyous proclamation of His victory over sin, hell, and death. We love that a woman sings this song because only “the women” were faithful to Jesus throughout His Passion.NOTE We celebrate Jesus’ victory in the Lord’s Supper because Jesus is alive! We remember the Lord’s death on the resurrection side of His Passion! Robert Reagan reminds us of the victory we celebrate during the Lord’s Supper: Closing with Praise and Blessing: Phil’s prayer of blessing for you is from Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. [Amen.] We join with Tasha Cobbs Leonard and ask God to send “Your Spirit” LORD, upon us, and especially upon all the women in our lives: Jan Reagan closes our time together with the following passage of praise and a personal blessing: NOTE All the men forsook Jesus and ran away when he was arrested (Mark 14:50). They hid behind locked doors because of fear (John 20:19). Meanwhile, “the women” who had supported Jesus and the disciples in His ministry (Luke 8:1-3) faithfully accompanied Him through everything. They were present with Him through His crucifixion agonies and were present on Resurrection Sunday (Matthew 27:55-61, 28:1-11; Mark 15:40-41, 16:1-8; Luke 23:27, 29, 49, 55, 24:1-10, 22-24; John 20:1-2, 11-18), as well being part of the proclamation on Pentecost that Jesus is Christ and Lord (Acts 1:14, 2:14-21). Special thanks to The Lumo Project and Free Bible Images for images related to the ministry of Jesus. About the author: Dr. Demetrius Collins is a mission partner at Westover Hills Church, Austin, TX, where he serves on the worship team and as a youth volunteer. His vocation is as a professor, physical therapist, and athletic trainer; but his calling is to mentor young men through their high school years as they try to figure out what it means to be a follower of Christ. He is happily married to Kristel, who shares his passion for God and scripture. He serves as our song resources coordinator for ToGather.church Phil Ware is President of Heartlight, Inc. and is an editor and writer for Heartlight.org, VerseoftheDay.com, and ToGather.church. Phil has served in preaching, teaching, and online ministry for over 40 years. He is passionate for world missions and encouraging ministers, pastors, church leaders, and missional church planters.
Today’s Verse – Luke 6:27
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…” —Luke 6:27 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus was the perfect example of this command in his life and death (Luke 23:24). Love that leads us to forgive has redemptive, life-changing power. While not everyone responds to such grace, many do. While being kind in our deeds and loving in our hearts to our enemies is not easy, God’s Spirit can fill us with Jesus’ love and help us live powerful lives of grace even in the presence of those who hate us (Romans 5:5). As we do, the Spirit transforms us to become more like Jesus and less and less like our old self-protective selves (2 Corinthians 3:18). As the history of Christianity shows, this miracle of this kind of love can change the lives of those who consider us enemies and bring them to God. My Prayer… Dear God, I confess that I have trouble with a few people in my life. They seem determined to criticize, undermine, belittle, defeat, and destroy me. Please give me the love to resist their attacks. Please empower me to respond to their actions in ways that are redemptive, righteous, and loving. Do this seemingly impossible work in my heart so that my obedience to Jesus’ command can lead others to my Savior’s grace. In the redeeming and mighty name of Jesus, I ask the Holy Spirit to help fill me with your love and demonstrate this grace to 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.
Today’s Verse – 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. —2 Peter 3:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God wants all people brought to repentance so they can receive his grace and share with him in his glory. God desires our salvation so much that he came to us in Jesus to save us (John 3:16-17). Since saving us is God’s passion for us, how can we not make it our passion to lead others to salvation through Jesus? Jesus’ last words before returning to the Father remind us that reaching the world with the message of God’s grace is also our Savior’s mission for us (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8)! My Prayer… Father, I know that you hold the day of Jesus’ return in your hands, and the reason he waits to return is known only to you. However, dear Father, I also know that you want all people to come to know Jesus as their Lord and be saved. Please use me to share your message of salvation and the gift of your loving grace through Jesus with someone around me this week, and may it hasten the day of his return. 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.
Resurrection 2.6: The Lord of Fresh Starts
Wouldn’t life be better if we could have a fresh start after making a mess of things? Years ago while on vacation, I woke up one morning, took my Bible, grabbed my breakfast, and went outside on the back porch. I wanted to enjoy the breeze and the rustling of the pine trees. As I munched my cereal and read, a couple began to play tennis on the nearby court. Their play was awful! The harder they tried, the worse they played. Eventually, they went to a corner of the court, drank some water, talked a bit, then shifted over one court and started playing considerably better. What made the difference in their play? Was there less wind to influence their shots? Was the sun now at a better angle? Was the court surface better than the previous court? I sure couldn’t see any difference in conditions. I chalked up their improved play to their fresh start. The change in courts was more symbol than substance. This couple had decided they would let the bad play on the previous court die there. They decided they would start fresh. It worked. Wouldn’t life be better if we could have a fresh start after making a mess of things? If you know the good news of Jesus, you know our Lord is the Master of fresh starts. His sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection victory over sin, death, and hell are the foundation for us to have a fresh start in our lives. Jesus’ apostle, John, described it this way: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9) Notice that John promised us much more than forgiveness; he promised us forgiveness and purification! If we are honest and transparent about our failures, he forgives and removes our sin. Our Lord gives us a fresh, new, clean, start on life! Jesus paid the cost for us to have this fresh start through his atoning sacrifice (1 John 2:1-2). How could John know this? How could he be so sure? John had seen Jesus give Peter that gift on a fishing trip. That trip occurred after Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. He had begun to show himself to his followers to prove to them he was alive (1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Acts 1:1-3). His apostles, however, were not quite sure what to do with themselves. One day, Peter turned to some of his buddies (Thomas, Nathaniel, James, John, and two other disciples — John 21:2) and said, “I’m going fishing.” His buddies went with him. Their fishing trip provided Jesus an opportunity to teach them about love, forgiveness, and fresh starts. Reminiscent of a fishing trip over three years earlier, Peter and his friends fished all night and didn’t catch a thing (John 21:3; Luke 5:5). On this occasion, Jesus called to them from the shore, but his disciples didn’t recognize him. The Lord told them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat, and they did. Like that previous time, they caught so many fish they could barely haul them all into the boat (John 21:6; Luke 5:6-7). With the beloved disciple’s help, Peter recognized that the person on the shore must be Jesus, the one who had made a similar miracle happen at the beginning of his ministry. So, Peter jumped out of the boat and swam ashore to greet his resurrected Lord (John 21:7). The other disciples hauled the fish to shore and joined Jesus and Peter on the beach. Over a breakfast of fish, the Lord gently, but consistently, challenged Peter about his arrogance and failure on the night he denied his Lord. Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” He bluntly reminded Peter of his bragging overstatement that if the other apostles turned away from the Lord, he wouldn’t (John 13:27; Mark 14:29). Around this breakfast cookout fire and before the disciples Peter had bragged and then failed, Jesus asked Peter THREE times, “Do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15). Hmm! And Peter had denied his Lord THREE times! Peter got the message: Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the THIRD time, “Do you love me?” (John 21:17 Emphasis added.). Jesus confronted Peter with his failure in front of the people who knew him and his failure, best. Then — and this is the essential part for you and me — the resurrected Jesus called Peter back to leadership and ministry… THREE times: Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.… Take care of my sheep.… Take care of my sheep” (John 21:15-17). Jesus had provided Peter and his friends a miraculous catch of fish earlier so that he could call them to be his apostles (Luke 5:1-11). Now, after Peter’s failure, Jesus provided a second miraculous catch of fish to give him a fresh start rooted in forgiveness and grace. Jesus didn’t just forgive Peter’s sin, but he also removed it from him so that he could start new. Peter’s breakfast on the beach with Jesus is good news for us. Peter’s failure wasn’t final. The Lord led him to confront his sin and then called him back to ministry. He longs to bless us with a similar restoration no matter our personal failures. The love of Jesus demonstrated at the cross provides forgiveness for us. The empty tomb and the gift of the Holy Spirit guarantee us a fresh start at life and ministry. All that’s left for us is to leave that past behind and follow his call. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:… God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Special thanks for
Today’s Verse – 1 Corinthians 2:9
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” —1 Corinthians 2:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Kids look forward to Christmas, Disneyland, and summer vacations. They imagine how great those things could be. Christians look forward to heaven and dream of seeing the LORD face to face, reuniting with those we love that have gone home to the LORD before us, and sharing in the glory of Jesus and his angels. But we can’t begin to imagine the great things that God has prepared for us without the Spirit’s help. They are far more glorious than anything we can dream or imagine. So let’s anticipate being surprised with glory and live until then with passion for the cause of the Kingdom. We know that any loss, any wound, any trouble, will not be worth comparing to the glory to be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). And, because we do have the Holy Spirit, let’s ask the Spirit who helps understand glimpses of this glory, we can anticipate what glorious things are actually coming us (1 Corinthians 2:10). Because of the Holy Spirit in us, the meaning of this Scripture is changed for us who have the Holy Spirit. It focuses us on the anticipation and understanding of the future by the power of the Spirit, who gives life to our mortal body (Romans 8:11). My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for preparing a place of glory for me with you — whether it is in the new heavens and earth, or in the throne room in heaven with you, or being with Jesus, or seeing you in your glory in heaven.* I believe it is far greater than anything I could ever imagine, but I do ask the Spirit to give me glimpses of this glorious future with you. Thank you, Jesus, for returning to heaven to prepare a place for me with you in glory. In your name, LORD Jesus, I praise and thank you. Amen. * New heavens and new earth — 2 Peter 3:12-15; the throne room of heaven — Revelation 7:7-11; being with Jesus — 2 Corinthians 5:6; Philippians 1:19-25; seeing Christ as he is in his exalted glory — 1 John 3:2-3.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.
08 May 2025
Our faith is partly influenced by our reverence for God. If we revere Him, we are bound to believe in Him and appreciate who He is, what He has done, is doing and what He will do. Hebrews 12:25-29.
Today’s Verse – James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. —James 3:13 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Wisdom isn’t shown by our book learning, street smarts, intellectual comments, or arrogant boasting. True wisdom demonstrates itself through the godly character of our lives as we live with humility and are generous with kind deeds. My Prayer… O Father, make me wise like Jesus. Please help me know your will more fully and live it more faithfully with kindness and humility, especially toward the lost, outcast, stumbling, broken, forgotten, and alone. May the words of my mouth and the actions of my life please you and bring your grace to others. In Jesus’ name, I ask for your help in being your kind of person. 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.