Today’s Verse – Psalm 68:4-5
Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds — his name is the LORD — and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. —Psalm 68:4-5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… I can’t help but think of what James, Jesus’ brother, said: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (James 1:27). Jesus demonstrated the Father’s heart for the marginalized in his ministry by making time to love, serve, heal, welcome, and bless widows (Luke 21:1-4), lepers (Mark 1:40-45), children (Matthew 19:13-15), the afflicted (John 5:3-8), and the oppressed (Matthew 4:24). Now it is up to us, his people, his disciples, to continue the work of Jesus as his people, his bodily presence in our world today. My Prayer… Father, may our lives, our compassion, and our ministries reflect your heart for those who need care, protection, and love. Give us eyes to see these needs more clearly and hearts that respond more certainly so that we can demonstrate your love to people more fully. We pray that as we respond, the Spirit will lead us to do things that bless others, and we ask that you give us wisdom to know how best to demonstrate your love to all people. In the precious 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 – Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. —Psalm 103:13 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Compassion! Not pity, not anger, not shame, not impatience, not intolerance, not rejection, none of this is what God, our Father, longs to share with us. We know this because today’s verse declares it. We know it even more by the way Jesus treated children in his busy and overly-scrutinized ministry: He welcomed them and placed his hands on them to bless them (Matthew 19:13-15). He took the children into His arms, placed His hands upon them, and blessed them (Mark 10:13-16). He welcomed little children, and held them up as examples for us to follow (Luke 18:15-17) God cares for our pain, loneliness, emptiness, abandonment, and mistreatment. God cares for us when we are overlooked, neglected, minimized, and pushed aside. God loves us and longs to share his compassion with us. He chose to enter our world and demonstrate his love for us in Jesus. My Prayer… Father of mercies and God of all compassion, we thank you not only for knowing and caring about our struggles, but also for sending Jesus to us and for living in us through the Holy Spirit. Because of your mercies, we know your love, grace, and forgiveness. Because of your compassion, we know your might and power released to us and in us through your gentle presence. May your Spirit of compassion be found in our relationships so others can recognize that this grace comes from you. Through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, and through Jesus our Savior, 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 – Proverbs 23:24
The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him. —Proverbs 23:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The greatest gift I can give my father – whether as a son or daughter – is to be like my Father in heaven, full of righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful loving kindness. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can become people who are characterized by “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Such character qualities as these honor both our Father and our earthly fathers. As children of God, let’s live into those qualities, asking for the Spirit’s help, and use those qualities and the character of our lives to bring our earthly fathers joy and our Heavenly Father delight! My Prayer… Holy and righteous Father, may my life please you and bring honor to my father and his name. I know, dear Father in heaven, that if I please you, it will make my earthly father’s heart glad. Please help me as I seek to know and serve you in ways that better display your character in my life. May this bring honor to my earthly father and his reputation, and bring delight to you. 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 – Philippians 3:20
Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. —Philippians 3:20 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… No matter what any passport says, if we are a disciple of Jesus, there is no earthly country that can hold us, no borders that can fully claim us, and no flag that flies above us that can spiritually contain us. We belong to Jesus and are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. We have more in common with the believing aboriginal tribesman of Indonesia, the Christian refugees from Africa; the Bedouin brothers and sisters in Egypt; the Spirit-filled Brazilian housewife and her husband; the high-rise believing business person in Hong Kong; the thousands of believers in India, Pakistan, and Asia; and the hundreds of thousands of Christ-followers scattered throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean Rim; than we have in common with your next-door neighbors if they don’t know Christ Jesus as their LORD and Savior. And because we are citizens of that holy and heavenly Kingdom, we eagerly await the arrival of our King and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. So we live on tiptoe in this world, looking to the horizon, anticipating and awaiting the arrival of our coming King! My Prayer… Glorious God and Father, we look forward to the day when people, more people than any of us can count, folks from every nation, tribe, people, and language join the angels and elders around your throne and worship Jesus in joy, together forever (Revelation 7:9-11). Make all of your scattered children from all over our world one, as we await our Savior. We ask you LORD Jesus, please come quickly, and in your 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 – Luke 11:13
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for him. —Luke 11:13 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Remember the best gifts you have ever given to someone else. Recall all the great gifts you’ve been given by others. Next to the gift of Jesus, God’s gracious sacrifice for our salvation, the gifts we’ve given and received pale in comparison. Yet in giving us the gift of Jesus, the Father didn’t stop his gift-giving. Through Jesus, God gave us the Holy Spirit when we came to Jesus as our LORD and Savior. And the Holy Spirit dwelling in us is the gift that keeps on giving, like an ever-flowing spring of cool water welling up to eternal life. What greater gifts can Father give than the gift of his Son and the abiding presence in us through the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, 21, 23). He assures us that he will be with us and make his home with us until we go home to be with him in our eternal home with him, forever. My Prayer… Abba Father, through the intercession of the precious Holy Spirit, your wonderful gift through Jesus, I come before you asking you to empower me, my loved ones, and our church family through the power of your Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27). I pray for renewal to sweep over our country and throughout our world, led by your Spirit of grace, power, and love. Thank you for this incomparable gift of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, the giver of this great gift, 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 19:1-2
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. —Psalm 19:1-2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God’s voice is always speaking through his creation. His witnesses give testimony to his glory, majesty, and creative grace. The universe shouts with joy that behind its intricate beauty, astounding powers, and marvelous wonders is the One who gave it life, purpose, order, specificity, and intention. The apostle Paul said something similar when he wrote to the Corinthians: …what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20) The Creator is magnificent and glorious. All his creation – with its vast expanses of the universe, dazzling array of stars and planets, intricate patterns of beauty, its incredible variety of species and terrain, and wonderful motion and forces – proclaim his glory! Are we listening to the voice behind it all, or are we simply taking it for granted? Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… O Great God, Creator of the countless heavens and gracious one who tends to our own small blue planet, we thank you for noticing the heart-cry of each of us, even though we are so small in a universe so vast. We love you, admire you, trust you, and worship you with wonder at your greatness and grandeur. Your marvelous love, demonstrated to us in Jesus, silences us in the breathless wonder of your grace just as creation shouts to your glory about your marvelous work as Creator, 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.
Today’s Verse – Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. —Psalm 46:10 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… David’s example as God’s poet and psalmist King tells me that the promise of this verse is true (Psalm 37:7). Jesus’ example shows that this is true (Luke 5:16). Faith helps me trust that this promise is true. Reverent silences, as we pause amid the hectic rush of our busy lives, can daily remind us that this promise is as true today as it was centuries ago. So, let’s make this promise a spiritual principle we bring into our daily lives. Let’s be still, and know that God is God, not us! My Prayer… O Father in heaven, may your name be reverenced and held holy in my life and my world today. May your will be done, may your reign on earth come with power, might, and finality in my life, and please help me usher it into my world. I want it to come just as it is already real in heaven with you. As I yield my busyness and fretfulness to you, please create the yearning in my heart to be still in your presence and be nourished in the quiet silence of reverent stillness. In Jesus’ name, and to be more like Jesus my 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 – Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. —Colossians 3:13 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Today’s message is an important but very challenging message to obey. How can I forgive someone who has grievously sinned against me? Maybe the better question may be: How can I not forgive a brother or sister for whom Christ died (Romans 14:15; 1 Corinthians 8:11), when I know what Jesus did to forgive me? How can I withhold that grace from others? In addition to our verse today, the Holy Spirit emphasized this principle several times in the New Testament Scriptures: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15) “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25) These words from Jesus are powerful, but he even further dramatized the importance of this principle in the “Parable of the Unmerciful Servant” (Matthew 18:21-35). So, how do we live into this principle? How do we obey it when many of us have people who have sinned horribly against us? Part of the answer lies in recognizing the enormous gift of forgiveness and salvation we have received. When we do that and recognize the costly grace we have received, we should be willing to extend grace. In addition, we can tap into the power of the Holy Spirit as followers of Jesus. We can ask for the Spirit to produce godly fruit in us that helps us forgive. Finally, we trust that while we may not have it in us to forgive on our own, with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:25-26). My Prayer… Holy Father, I commit today to release any grudge or bitterness that I have against one of your children. I am sorry for not reflecting your grace and mercy more, the grace that you lavished on me. Abba Father, I need the help of your Holy Spirit to relinquish my claim on the wrongs committed against me. Please empower me as I commit to following Jesus’ example of forgiving (Luke 23:34), even when it is hard. Through 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 – Habakkuk 3:19
The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. —Habakkuk 3:19 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… In a horribly turbulent, violent, and dangerous time for the children of God, the prophet Habakkuk confidently said, “The LORD is my strength!”Wow, what faith. Wow, what power we have in the LORD’s abiding and empowering presence. Even in the worst of times, we are an enabled people. Unfortunately, we often forget the power available to us as disciples of Jesus. That’s why I believe we need to pray Paul’s prayer for fellow believers in our day, especially those brothers and sisters caught in a hard time: For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. . . .Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21) Yes, because of the power given to us, we can confidently say, “The LORD is my strength!” My Prayer… Sovereign God and Almighty Father, I pray today, asking that you not only be my strength, but be the strength of those I love who are battling depression, grief, and despair. I ask your blessings, especially and specifically for these people… (Speak the name of several you want to pray for by name, here!) O, dear Father, I pray that together, we may… …know the hope to which [you have called us], the riches of [your] glorious inheritance in [your] holy people, and [your] incomparably great power for us who believe.. 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 90:2, 4
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. . . . For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. —Psalm 90:2, 4 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… So many things about our lives are uncertain. This one thing, however, is sure: no matter where, when, or how long, God will be there and will be with us and will be for us. He is the “I AM” – the one “who is, and who was, and who is to come” – of every past, present, and future moment (Revelation 1:8). He will not forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). We will never be separated from his love for us in Jesus (Romans 8:38-39). Because God existed before anything was made (John 1:1-3), we can trust he will be with us when this form of creation ends, and when he ushers us into our eternal home with him forever. Hold fast, dear child of the eternal God, our Father has all of us, his children, in his “everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27-28). My Prayer… Everlasting Father, I find great comfort in knowing that I cannot be in a place or time where you are not. Stir my courage through your Spirit, that I may be bolder because of your power and presence. Help me to share the Gospel of Jesus with boldness, yet with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16), with those who need your hope. 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.