Today’s Verse – 2 Timothy 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. —2 Timothy 1:7 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… When we became Christians, Jesus poured the gift of the Holy Spirit into us (Acts 2:38). The Spirit now lives in us, making our bodies into a holy temple where God lives and we worship him in the ways we use our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The Spirit also blesses us in many ways. Romans 8:1-39 details many of these ways. We can be courageous even in the face of attack, criticism, ridicule, and persecution because of the Spirit’s presence in us (Acts 4:23-31). The Spirit is at work in us to produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) as the Spirit transforms us to become more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Spirit pours love into our hearts, enabling us to love in supernatural ways (Romans 5:5). The Spirit’s presence is our heavenly power source helping us overcome sin and live self-disciplined lives to the glory of the LORD, even in evil times (Galatians 1:4). Because “God did not give us a spirit of timidity,” but the Holy Spirit “of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” My Prayer… Father, thank you for the Spirit’s constant presence in our lives. Please empower us with even greater courage and strength as we face the daily challenges in our lives, with the help of this power from the Holy Spirit. May we display the power of the Spirit in our lives in the ways that we love others, seeking to share the love, mercy, and grace of Jesus with them. We also ask for the Spirit’s help in putting to death the fleshly desires that interfere with our transformation into becoming more like Jesus. We pray this through the intercession of the Spirit and the powerful name of our LORD Jesus. 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 – 1 Thessalonians 3:12
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. —1 Thessalonians 3:12 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “I’m not sure I can love that person any longer! My supply of love feels used up, my capacity for compassion seems to be exhausted!” Yes, there are times when we feel as if others have exhausted our ability to love, either because their need is so great or because they are unwilling to love us in return. How can we continue to love them? We need a community of love, the fellowship of other believers who will support and love us during our times of spiritual depletion. We need brothers and sisters in Christ who will pray for God to increase our capacity to love and forgive. We need to trust that in response to all of our prayers, God will pour more love into our hearts through his ever-flowing stream of grace, the Holy Spirit bubbling up within us (Romans 5:5; John 7:37-39). When our ability to love feels low, we must not withdraw from people or give up on having relationships. Instead, we need to draw near to God and his people, asking for our Father’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us love and bless people in their time of need as we seek to be JESUShaped people in our broken world. My Prayer… Dear Father, please graciously pour your love into our hearts and into the hearts of those in our family and church family. We need your help to love those around us more completely and sacrificially. We ask that the Holy Spirit fill us with grace so we can more perfectly live out our LORD’s teaching, demonstrated in his life and through his death. O Father, help us display our Savior’s love to others. 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.
Today’s Verse – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. —2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The Father of compassion comforts us because we are heartbroken The Father of compassion comforts us because we need a blessing. The Father of compassion comforts us because God loves us. The Father of compassion comforts us so we can comfort others. While each of the above statements is true, the last one is the most crucial. We cannot fully realize true comfort until we receive it and then share it with someone else. Sharing the comfort we have received is that final step in the healing process of grief, disappointment, hurt, and loss. Until we share the comfort we have received, until we pass it on to others, our understanding of God’s comfort is incomplete, shallow, selfish, and limited. We have a Father of compassion and comfort. He wants us, as his children, to pass that comfort to others! My Prayer… O LORD, God of heaven and earth, Creator of the universe, thank you for knowing my heart, caring about my concerns, and comforting me when I am wounded. Please help me share your grace, mercy, and comfort with someone who needs it today. 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 – Psalm 34:22
The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. —Psalm 34:22 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God not only buys out our bondage and debt to sin, but he also assures us that he will provide refuge for those who trust in him. Our future is tied to God and not to our ability to provide and protect what we need. He is our refuge and strength, our ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1, 11). My Prayer… O LORD, God of heaven and earth, I place my life and my future in your hands. Please use me to bless others and help them find refuge in your gracious love. 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 – Psalm 34:21
Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. —Psalm 34:21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God has promised a closing time for everyone who has ever lived. It will be a reckoning where human power and influence cannot blot out the truth and where each person who has ever lived will have to face what they have done, whether good or evil. Evil will overtake those who have been partnered with evil. Their hatred and wickedness will come back upon them. God will not allow righteousness, truth, and justice to be short-circuited, perverted, or forgotten! “Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.” My Prayer… Father, thank you for making me clean and whole by the purifying work of your Holy Spirit. Please train me to live righteously. Help me develop a revulsion for what is sinful and evil. Use me, please, to help others caught in the evil one’s work to escape and find deliverance in the LORD Jesus. In the name of my Savior, the one who died for all people to be able to come to you, 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 – Psalm 34:19-20
A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. —Psalm 34:19-20 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We know that the righteous can have troubles, but how do we understand that God delivers us from them all? How do we know that he protects all our bones, especially in light of recent tragedies and the persecution of believers in many places in the world? Paul demonstrates the answer: he was confident that whatever happened to him would turn out for his deliverance. He would either be delivered THROUGH his death to be with God or delivered from FROM death through his release from prison to continue ministry (Philippians 1:19-23). Our deliverance, because of Jesus, is secure. We are conquerors in Christ. He’s coming back for us. If we die now, we go to be with Christ. So, nothing Satan can do to us will steal us away from God’s love, not even suffering and death (Romans 8:32-39). My Prayer… Father, please give me the faith I need to believe that whatever happens in my life will not steal me away from your love but will deliver me into your presence. 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 – Psalm 34:18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. —Psalm 34:18 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The LORD is near (Philippians 4:5). How do we know? He promised his people this long ago and kept his promise. He drew near to us in the manger with Jesus. He walked among us in ministry as Jesus touched, healed, blessed, raised, mended, and loved. He suffered with us, and for us, in Jesus’ Passion. Many of us have experienced his nearness in tragedy, trial, heartbreak, and brokenness as he drew near to us to save us. Others of us have experienced his presence as we sought to share the message of Jesus, as he gave us words through the Holy Spirit and strength and courage to stand up to those who opposed us. The bigger questions are these: Will our hearts be open to him and his presence? Will we seek him and ask him to draw near? Will we obey him and invite him to live in our daily lives? We must not let troubles and heartache lead us to pull away from God or doubt his nearness. Let’s believe the promise that as we draw near to God, he will draw near to us (James 4:8, 10). Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… O LORD, please be near me today. Make your presence known in my life. Father, I also ask that you bless those I know who are struggling with their faith and with broken and disappointed hearts. They feel so alone. Please be active in their lives and make your presence known in tangible ways to sustain them in their times of trial. In Jesus’ name, I ask you to fulfill this promise in people who are precious to me. 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 34:17
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. —Psalm 34:17 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Deliverance! The great theme of deliverance runs throughout the Bible. This theme is built on the LORD being the God of deliverance, the Covenant God who keeps his promises, and the faithful Sovereign Creator who shares his grace, mercy, and justice. May knowing God as our Great Deliverer stir us to righteous living and a boldness to cry out honestly to God in all of our troubles. One way we can rely on our LORD for his deliverance is by reading through the Psalms regularly, letting these inspired words from so long ago offer us a rich guide to call to God while seeking his deliverance through the varied tapestry of life’s events. As we cry out to God, we can ask honest questions as we share the wounds that life has brought upon us. As we do, we can know God’s attentive presence is real as we open our hearts to him and long to receive his deliverance. My Prayer… Father, your people around the world need your deliverance from persecution, hardship, hostility, martyrdom, and the discouraging and withering cynicism that goes with these trials. In your majesty and power, please destroy the plans of the wicked. In your mercy and grace, please deliver your people as they face hardships and troubles. In Jesus’ name, we pray to you, the God who has promised to deliver us from all of our troubles. We believe you are the God of deliverance! 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 34:16
The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. —Psalm 34:16 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God hates violence and demands that we not admire those who are violent or share in their violent lifestyles (Proverbs 3:31). God abhors those who do evil. God not only opposes them when they are alive, but he also mitigates their influence and poisons any memory of them after they are gone. God helps us see “those who do evil” for who and what they really are and what they have done. Far from being viewed as heroes, their legacy of hate and wickedness is spurned, shunned, disdained, and forgotten. God will “cut off the memory of them from the earth.” My Prayer… In our own time, dear Father, help us see the wickedness done by “those who do evil” for who they are. O LORD, please render their threats impotent and ensure that any remembrance of them is a foul stench in the nostrils of those who come after them. Please, don’t let them deceive and co-opt others into doing their evil will after they are gone. 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.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry… —Psalm 34:15 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We are righteous because of God’s mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:1-10). These were given to us in Jesus! We received them because of our faith in him. We are remembered because of God’s faithfulness. We are heard because of God’s lovingkindness. We are blessed because God is good. Let’s choose to live in righteous ways, seeking to live up to who Christ has declared us to be (Colossians 1:22). As we do, let’s know that God, our loving Father, keeps us in his sight and watches over us with loving care. My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for seeing our needs, hearing our cries, answering our prayers, and coming down to save, comfort, and bless us with your grace. In Jesus’ name, we thank 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.