Today’s Verse – Zechariah 14:9
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day, there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. —Zechariah 14:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus taught us: “So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’” (Matthew 6:9-10 BSB). As we pray, our hearts should yearn for the day when the LORD will be the universally recognized King over all the earth (Philippians 2:10-11). As we use the opening words of Jesus’ model prayer, we are also asking the LORD to be King of our hearts as we commit ourselves to him alone. For us, he is the “one LORD, and his name the only name” that reigns in our hearts. These are more than words. As we say them, we look forward to the day when all created beings, seen and unseen, recognize Jesus as LORD. In a world of profanity, a world where God’s name is blasphemed, and a world where God’s greatness is often ignored, we hold to the promise that every knee will bow and every tongue confess, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, that Jesus Christ is LORD. He has no rival. He is incomparable. His name is the only name worthy of reverence, honor, and praise. And we choose to make this so in our lives today! My Prayer… Great Almighty LORD, bring yourself glory in our time of history. With all my heart, dear Father, I pray for your name to be reverenced in all the earth. Do mighty works that show your control and sovereignty to help your people bring others to call on your name and praise you for your glory and grace. In Jesus’ holy and precious 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 – 2 Peter 3:8-9
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. —2 Peter 3:8-9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Maranatha – O LORD come (1 Corinthians 16:22). This cry of the early church, especially during trials, persecutions, and difficulties, must be tempered with the reminder that there is a lost world around us. We want the LORD to come, but many of our dear friends and family are lost. Our passion for the LORD’s coming must be equaled by our passion to share his grace with those who have not “come to repentance” (Acts 17:30-31). They have not changed their hearts and lives to serve the LORD based on their faith in Jesus as LORD and Savior – the one who died to bring them life. Until Jesus comes, let’s commit to doing his work of bringing others to repentance and salvation in him because the LORD does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance! My Prayer… O great and patient God, please use all of your power and grace to bring my loved ones and dear friends who are lost, to repentance so that when Jesus appears, they can share in my joy and your salvation. In the name of Jesus, the only Savior, 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 – Matthew 16:25
“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” —Matthew 16:25 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The key to life is letting go of ourselves and welcoming Jesus and his will into our lives. Please don’t forget to relinquish your life to the one who gave up his own life for you. You see, he took it back up again, just so that when we lose our lives to him, we can have them back forever with him. Listen to this glorious promise from the apostle Paul to the Colossians that underscores Jesus’ promise: Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, you also will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4). Yes, let’s lose our lives to Christ to receive back life forever! My Prayer… Holy God, I believe that Jesus is LORD, your Son, Immanuel, God with us, my Savior and King. I long for his life to be made visible in mine to your glory. So, dear Father, I willingly offer up my life to live for your glory, to follow Jesus, and to be transformed into becoming more JESUShaped (2 Corinthians 3:18). In the name of the LORD Jesus, 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 – Leviticus 19:18
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. —Leviticus 19:18 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Hanging on to bitterness and keeping alive grudges is consuming and exhausting work. It leaves little energy for blessing others, praising God, or enjoying life. The only way to overcome a bitter heart toward others is to actively love and serve them in ways that bless their lives, as we ask God to help us forgive them. If we can’t do this because it’s hard to feel like it is the right thing to do, let’s do it because we know God and want to please him. After all, Jesus said that how we let go of the sins and grudges we have toward others is how God will choose to deal with our sins and failures (Matthew 6:14-15). So, dear brother or sister in Christ, let’s forgive because we have been blessed with mercy, grace, love, and forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32). When we love others, we find the Spirit empowering us to become ever more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18), our LORD and Savior! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Father of light, love, and mercy, please remove from my heart any cynicism toward others who dislike me or hurt me. Please remove any delight in seeing others around me fail when they have wanted me to fail. Instead, please use me as a friend rather than an enemy, a helper rather than a detractor, a person who forgives rather than one who holds a grudge. I want your grace to be seen in my friendships and the way I let go of offenses committed against me. 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.
Today’s Verse – Jeremiah 23:24
“Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. —Jeremiah 23:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… There is no hiding from God, but for those who willingly and joyously seek him, there is great comfort, power, and hope in knowing that his presence is ever with us. He promises never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). David beautifully praises God for his abiding presence in Psalm 139. He wants us to remember that God is with him, and that God’s presence goes with us from conception to death, and even beyond. God knew us in the womb. He guides us daily and regularly in our lives. He is willing to go with us to the farthest reaches of our existence, and he always longs to be near us and to be for us. My Prayer… El Shaddai, God Almighty, God of the Mountains, Jehovah Jireh, God our constant Provider, please be my source of strength as I seek to abide in your presence and walk with you in every moment of my days. I seek to acknowledge your might, love, mercy, power, strength, and grace in all I do and everywhere I go. Please, dear Father, don’t just bless me with your presence; please use me to bless others so they can find their place in your plan for their lives. In the name of Jesus, my LORD and Savior, 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 – 2 Thessalonians 3:3
The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. —2 Thessalonians 3:3 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… It’s amazing to me how Satan knows our personal weaknesses and vulnerabilities – those sins that can especially wound and disable us from the work Christ Jesus. It’s amazing to me that he knows how best to tempt us. Let’s commit to silently supporting each other in prayer daily, believing the promise that God is faithful and will strengthen and protect us from the evil one. Let’s pray that both we and those we love will be strengthened “with power through his Spirit in our inner being” (Ephesians 3:14-16). Let’s pray that we all will be delivered from the insidious and besetting attacks and temptations from the evil one. As Paul prayed for the Thessalonians: May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, souls, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). The LORD is faithful. He will strengthen and protect us from the evil one. Hallelujah and amen! My Prayer… Mighty and Triumphant King, please crush your enemies under your feet and liberate us and those we love from the oppressive and insidious attacks of the evil one and the horrible consequences of the sin he tempts us to swallow (Romans 16:20). Not only forgive and cleanse us, dear Father, but please guard our hearts so that we might gain strength to serve you with passion and power. In the mighty name of Jesus, 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.
Today’s Verse – Isaiah 40:31
Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and will not be faint. —Isaiah 40:31 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… It is easy for us to live victoriously for the LORD when we are soaring on the wings of eagles. Things are going great. We can see the LORD at work in our life and good things are happening. It can be exciting when we run and don’t grow weary doing the work of the LORD, buoyed by his power and presence, as the Holy Spirit shows up and makes us better than we really are. But it often takes real heroes to keep walking without fainting during trying times, attacks from the evil one, or oppressive criticism and opposition. So, dear friend of Jesus, please keep walking forward. Trust the Spirit of the living God is alive in you to empower you, more than you can even ask or think (Ephesians 1:17-20, 4:14-21). The LORD is with you, even when you most fear he has forgotten you. Keep walking, and as you do, may the LORD reveal his sustaining presence to you, in you, and through you! My Prayer… O, Majestic God, who spoke into existence the universe, whose voice holds together the great expanse of the heavens, give those who can barely walk forward with faith, the strength to continue as they face the stress and assaults of the evil one. I specifically want to pray for those I know personally who are facing trying times. Please, dear LORD, give them strength as I share their names with you, and meet their most pressing needs, and do your work through them in ways that they can see and experience. Through Jesus, who conquered Satan, sin, hell, and death. 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 – Psalm 121:7-8
The LORD will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. —Psalm 121:7-8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… One of the great blessings and confidences we have in Jesus is that we do not live out our lives on our own, alone, unnoticed, and forgotten. The LORD of the universe is with us personally (Psalm 139:1-18). He holds our future and our safety in his hands. Our deliverance is assured, either deliverance from death – which means service to him and to others – or deliverance to him through death – which means freedom from the constraints of mortality and the battle with sin (Philippians 1:18-24). The LORD will never leave us, forsake us, or abandon us – we are more than conquerors in this life and into the next life because of Jesus (Hebrews 13:5-6; Romans 8:35-38). My Prayer… Mighty Protector, Rock of my salvation, thank you that I cannot go where you are not. Thank you for ensuring my life is hidden with Christ in you (Colossians 3:1-4). Make this assurance the motivating power in my life as I turn my future over to you and live obediently, today, to honor you. By the power of Jesus, I believe this, and I ask this in his 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.
Today’s Verse – Mark 8:36
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his very soul? —Mark 8:36 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Advertising, easy online purchasing, and social media lead us to chase after so many worldly things. We feel like we’re lacking if we don’t have all this stuff, or thousands of likes, or all these friends and followers on social networks. However, only one thing is needful. Having a fist full of dollars, a post that has thousands of likes, a magnificent estate, and a lot of prestige don’t mean a whole lot in life if we’ve gone to your eternal address without the LORD. Lying awake at night only to find ourselves in a barren place where Christ does not dwell, and life is not found, is horrifying – worse than our worst nightmare, horrifying and forever. Let’s not lose our life, our soul, our meaning, to chasing after what is not lasting and can only satisfy for a moment until we achieve the next bigger and better thing. My Prayer… Father, help me keep my priorities in order, my life holy, my love genuine, my heart open to your will, and my desires free from covetousness for things that don’t last. I ask for the Holy Spirit’s help so my own self-seeking, greed, ambition, and pride do not blind me to what is most important in my life – my walk and my relationship with Jesus. In his precious name, I pray this, as I seek to find what is truly and lasting life. 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 – Ephesians 5:25-26
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy. —Ephesians 5:25-26 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… For husbands, there is sacrificial love in our purpose with our wives, and purpose in our sacrifice as we give up our wills to help our wives as they are molded to become more like Christ by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18) . We are to give up ourselves to actively love our wives. Jesus is our example here, and he gave up everything to serve and bless us (Mark 10:45). His example demonstrates our purpose in our relationship with our wives. Just as Jesus sought to make us holy and beautiful in God’s sight, so also we should love our wives with that same purpose. Our motives are to be equally as sacrificial and pure in surrendering our rights to bless and love our wives (Philippians 2:6-9). As Paul reminds all believers, and specifically husbands in their relationship with their wives, that we, too, are to submit ourselves to bless our wives. This does not mean, however, spinelessness; it means service and sacrifice to bless and bring glory to Christ in how we love and serve the ladies in our lives! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Holy God, help our families to be full of love. May this loving service begin with me, today, in my family. 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.