29 Sep 2025
A humble and contrite heart pleases God, one that allows Him to direct it. When it is “soft”, He is able to direct it and mold it. On the other hand, a hardened heart is set and makes the person rigid, not teachable. May we not miss His rest due to hardened hearts. Hebrews 4:1-11.
Daily Prayer for September 29
A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:21–22, NIV Dear Father in heaven, grant us your Spirit so that here on earth we may be united with you in Jesus Christ the Savior. May truth dawn on us with its light, bringing joy no matter what happens to us. May all the pain in our lives be turned into birth pangs of a new life in which we can rejoice as people you have created, people prepared for the struggle on earth, who are called into battle and led to victory. Grant that we may not be blinded by the surrounding darkness. Shed a clear light on the new life that is coming. May we see what has already happened because Jesus Christ came to the earth and remains on earth, and may we see what is still to come through him, the Savior. O God of wonders, keep us aware of the wonders that increasingly surround us, until all the pain on earth is finally overcome and we men glorify your love and your great goodness. Amen. Recent articles on Plough Daughters of Palestine Nicole Schrag A review of Leyla K. King’s Daughters of Palestine: A Memoir in Five Generations. Read now Six Kids and Six Pets Lauren Pope A chaotic puppy taught me to embrace the beautiful messiness of life. Read now Readings: On Angels Alfred Delp and Bernard of Clairvaux The medieval saint Bernard of Clairvaux and the Jesuit martyr Alfred Delp remind us that our unseen guardians are always near. Read now Teaching Children About Injustice Cristiano Denanni When a schoolteacher relates to his pupils what he found traveling the world, their responses amaze him. Read now An Experiment in Common Living Jeffrey Wald My wife and I thought we wanted more community. We got more than we reckoned for. Read now
Today’s Verse – Psalm 119:133
Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. —Psalm 119:133 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God’s Scriptures, the word of God, and the LORD Jesus, the incarnated Word of God, provide light to our dark paths in our morally uncertain and confused world. God’s Scriptures and our LORD Jesus must be our standards for right and wrong and set the goal for our behaviors as the Holy Spirit works to make them come alive in us (Colossians 1:28-29; 2 Corinthians 3:17). Let’s ask God to have the Holy Spirit use both his words in Scripture, and his Word the Son, to have the formative influence in our lives and deliver us from all sorts of destructive practices that can ruin them. My Prayer… Great and Almighty God, who raises the dead and restores the fallen, shape my heart to delight in your truth. Mold my life to more perfectly conform to your will. Lead me in your way, and please guide my footsteps in righteousness. I ask you to empower me to freedom from any form of bondage that Satan might use to control me and ruin my godly influence. Use your Scriptures, the power of the Holy Spirit, and my desire to honor you to conform me to your living Word, my LORD Jesus, 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.
Today’s Verse – Proverbs 10:32
The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. —Proverbs 10:32 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… How many times have you said just the “wrong” thing at the wrong time? For me, it is more often than I like. Jesus’ words on this topic are indeed convicting to me: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34-37). In other words, poor words and bad timing in our speech are more issues of our heart than a lack of proper social skills and decorum. Let’s ask God to purify, mend, and re-focus our hearts on his will and passions, so that we can be a blessing to others. My Prayer… Almighty God, loving and merciful Father, please purify my heart of all evil, hate, duplicity, prejudice, malice, lust, and greed. By the powerful name of Jesus, please drive away any evil power or enticing temptation that would corrupt my heart and wound my soul. Please use the Holy Spirit to fill my heart with your love, grace, righteousness, holy passion, gentleness, forbearance, sensitivity, courage, and forgiveness. Give me discernment to know which of these qualities I need at any given moment. Sanctify me, body, soul, and spirit with your Holy Spirit.* In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. * I love this promise-prayer from Paul that we can pray for each other: Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV) 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 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.