Today’s Verse – Psalm 104:33-34
I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD. —Psalm 104:33-34 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Do you sing in the shower? What words are on your lips? What is the soundtrack for your heart as you sleep? Singing is such a wonderful gift! First, it is a gift from God to help us express our joy, excitement, sorrow, and victory in him and to him. Second, it is a gift from us to God to help us communicate our respect, appreciation, love, thanksgiving, and confidence in God. So let’s sing, praising God for what he has done, proclaiming what he will do, and sharing what he is currently doing in our lives! And, let’s ask the Spirit to give us songs in the night (Job 35:10; Psalm 77:6) that celebrate our life in Christ and comfort us when life is harsh and we are discouraged. My Prayer… O God, my Father in heaven, even your name is holy, yet you welcome me with love. As I worship you, please insert your will into my heart as I seek to more closely reflect your holy character. I trust you, dear LORD, for the food I need daily. I ask you, Holy Father, to forgive me as I release the bitterness and anger I have held against those who have wounded me. Empower me, O God, to resist the temptations and deceptions of the Evil One. Holy Spirit, please fill my heart with love, joy, and peace as I sing praises, and comfort me with songs in the night. In Jesus’ name, I confidently 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 26:9
My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. —Isaiah 26:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… When a young couple in love is apart, they long to be with each other so much they ache. When parents are separated from a child, they miss that child intensely. When a spouse can no longer be with a long-time marriage partner, that person’s soul can ache to be reunited with the one they have loved and lost. God created us to be in the most profound fellowship with him and find our source and significance in our relationship with him. This deep relationship was initially called “walking in the garden in the cool of the day,” something that sin took away from us and caused us to hide from God (Genesis 3:8). Do you recognize your spirit aching to be with God? Many believers call this ache the God-shaped hole in all of us. It is a powerful metaphor for the yearning and longing for God we have built into our hearts, a longing that even sin and the evil one cannot extinguish. So, how do we fill our God-shaped hole? First, let’s recognize our God-hunger can only be satisfied by the LORD himself, not another person, creature, or creation. Then, we should confess our longing and yearning for God as Isaiah did in today’s verse. That opens the door for our hearts to satisfy our yearning and longing by spending time in our Abba Father’s presence as we communicate our desire, affection, and need to be with our Abba in heaven. Yes, our souls yearn for God during the night; in the morning, our spirits long to be alive with God as we begin each day! My Prayer… Holy and righteous Father, I do ache to experience your presence. I know the piece of my soul I sometimes feel is missing can only be found in you. Please, dear Father, be very real and present in my life 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 – Ephesians 4:24
…and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. —Ephesians 4:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Remember, our verse today comes from Paul’s challenge to put off our old way of life (Ephesians 4:22-24). Yesterday, we offered ourselves to God to be made new in our ways of thinking and serving. One of the most significant decisions we face at the beginning of each day is what we will wear. Well, no matter what we choose for our physical clothing, let’s make sure we choose to put on the new person God re-made us to be, clothed with Christ as our new self (Romans 13:14; Galatians 3:27), someone committed to live for God “in true righteousness and holiness.” Only the “garments of salvation” and the “robe of God’s righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10) will fit us eternally! My Prayer… Dear Father, may people see the character and likeness of Jesus in me today. LORD Jesus, in your name, I ask you, please, to guide my decisions and help me know how you would have me act in today’s situations. Precious and powerful Holy Spirit, please fill me and continue your work in transforming me as I seek to clothe myself with Christ, cherishing the garment of your salvation as Jesus clothes me in the robe of his righteousness. 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 4:23
…be made new in the attitude of your minds… —Ephesians 4:23 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Remember, our verse today comes from Paul’s challenge to put off our old way of life (Ephesians 4:22-24). As we put off the corruption and deceitful desires of our former way of life before Jesus, we now offer ourselves to God to be renewed. But we cannot renew ourselves on our own. We can guard ourselves against corrupting influences, but only God can renew us and enable us to discern his will more fully (Romans 12:1-2). God promises to do the work of renewal in us! Jesus didn’t just come to save us from sin, death, and hell; he also came to redeem us for his purposes and his work as his living piece of artistry (Ephesians 2:1-10). God sustains, empowers, and renews us as the Holy Spirit transforms us in this renewal. So, let’s offer ourselves first to God and then to others as servants of the LORD Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:5). Then, we confidently ask for the Holy Spirit to make us new inside and out! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Father, I come to you asking for your grace to make me new in how I look at things, especially how I view people. Please cleanse my heart and make me new in my mind and my spirit. I want to live each day of this coming year sharing your love, empowered by your Spirit, and aware of your grace. 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 – Ephesians 4:22
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires… —Ephesians 4:22 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Paul gives us several challenging verses when we read Ephesians 4:22-24. We will take each of these verses one day at a time. Today, Paul reminds us that we surrendered our hearts to God. Our old selves were crucified with Christ when we became Christians (Romans 6:6). Jesus reminds us that this kind of surrender is something each of us should do daily (Luke 9:23). We need to put the old sinful life aside every day — “put off your old self” — and choose to live for Jesus in response to God’s grace. Why is this “putting off” so important? Because our way of life before being united with Christ was full of sinful influences and the deceitful desires that the evil one seeks to reawaken in us. So, as we begin this new year, let’s make it our spiritual habit to consciously offer ourselves to the LORD daily as we seek to live joyously under his lordship. My Prayer… Holy and Almighty LORD, I approach you as my loving Abba Father. I want to honor you. I want to ignore the temptations of the evil one. I don’t want him to deceitfully lure me back into the corrupt ways of my former life before Jesus. Please empower me through your Holy Spirit and conform to Jesus* as you capture my heart with your grace. Father, I want to live each day for you, honoring Jesus’ sacrifice for me and yielding to the influence of the Holy Spirit. I ask this through the intercession of the Spirit and the authority of the Son. Amen. * 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 3:22-23.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 21:30
There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD. —Proverbs 21:30 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… No matter how fresh the start nor how great the plans we have made this new year, if we do not walk with God, this coming year will not be a spiritual success. As we receive this gift of a new year, let’s commit to serving the LORD. As we plan for the coming year ahead of us, let’s make sure that those plans are based on the LORD’s revealed will in Scripture, the leading of the Holy Spirit, and prayerful consideration of what our God wants us to accomplish as we live for him. My Prayer… God of the ages, my Father in heaven, thank you for being very near as I start this new year. Please bless me and reveal to me your will for each day. Bring the people into my life who will help me love you more, serve you effectively, and bless others in meaningful ways. To you be all the honor and glory in what I do, think, and say in the days ahead. 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 – Luke 12:31
But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. —Luke 12:31 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… As we stand at the end of one year and look over tomorrow into the beginning of a new one, let’s remember that before our New Year’s resolutions are made and before this year has come to its end, we must declare to all, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD…” (Joshua 24:15). We choose to seek God and his kingdom first. That’s our highest priority, and we trust that God will add all the other things we need as and when we need them. My Prayer… As I conclude this year and begin another, dear Father, I pray that you will help me keep my eyes on Jesus and my heart focused on your will as I seek your kingdom above all other things. 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 – Nehemiah 12:30
When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall. —Nehemiah 12:30 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Nehemiah had returned to Judea from serving a foreign king who authorized him to rebuild the broken structures in Jerusalem and rally the people to repopulate the Holy City, re-commit to purity, and rebuild the city walls to protect the people inside. As the people finished rebuilding the walls, Nehemiah insisted that the key leaders and everyday places must be purified. They had to do that before they began their normal daily lives inside the walls and continued their work of purifying the people. Nehemiah reminds us that before we try to “clean up” those around us, we must first offer ourselves to God to be consecrated and made pure by his grace. Then, we can live demonstrating the impact of God’s holiness on those around us. This principle is similar to what Jesus told us to remove the plank from our own eye before we try to clean the speck out of someone else’s eye (Luke 6:41-42). For leaders at any level — church, work, teams, families — dedicating ourselves to holiness is essential before calling others to holiness! God’s most significant spiritual renewal movements begin with leaders consecrating themselves to the LORD and then leading others toward God’s holy way of living. My Prayer… O Father in heaven, forgive me for my sins. I want to be pure and holy, cleansed by your Spirit and forgiven by your grace. Please bless me as I seek to live a holy life before those I seek to influence. I need your powerful help to be the example and person of character that you want me to be and that my friends need me to be. I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Savior and LORD. 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 12:29
“Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.” —Matthew 12:29 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus is quoting a popular truism in his day, using this “strong man” saying to refer to his own power over the evil one. Satan may be the strong man who has claimed us through our sin, but Jesus broke into the stronghold of the evil one and delivered us to freedom. Jesus is far stronger than evil, death, and hell. Through the cross, our Savior bound the strong man and then robbed him of us! He did this by becoming human and facing death with complete obedience to God. The LORD then rose from the dead, defeating sin, the evil one, death, and hell, giving us new life! Praise God! Jesus broke into the Strong Man’s house. He overpowered him and bound him. What did he bring out of the strong man’s house? Treasure, of course! And that treasure is us!! My Prayer… Thank you, LORD Jesus, for rescuing me from the dominion of darkness and ushering me into your victorious Kingdom of Light accomplished by you, the Son of your love!* Amen. * From Colossians 1:13-14.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 – Hebrews 12:28-29
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” —Hebrews 12:28-29 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Every earth-made empire will eventually topple, and every man-made structure will decay and fall. God, however, has given us a kingdom that can’t rust, spoil, or fade, kept in heaven for us. What will we do in response to this great gift? Worship with reverence and awe! The Holy Spirit isn’t talking about worship in a church building. Our worship in reverence and awe is what we do in our daily lives. We worship by… Keeping on loving each other as brothers and sisters (Hebrews 13:1). Offering hospitality to strangers (Hebrews 13:2). Remembering and caring for those in prison and those who are mistreated (Hebrews 13:3). Honoring marriage among us and keeping our marriage beds pure by keeping ourselves free from sexual immorality (Hebrews 13:4). Learning to be content with what we have and keeping our lives free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5). Honoring godly leaders as we imitate the holy things we see in their lives (Hebrews 13:7). Keeping ourselves away from novel and strange teachings (Hebrews 13:8). Following Jesus despite opposition, willing to bear disgrace for him (Hebrews 13:13). Offering God the sacrifice of our praise through Jesus as we profess our allegiance to God (Hebrews 13:15). Remembering to do good and sharing with others (Hebrews 13:16). Is this really the worship we are to offer with reverence and awe? Yes, because God is pleased with this worship in our daily lives (Hebrews 13:16). My Prayer… All praise and adoration be yours, O great King of the Ages. Thank you for giving me a place in your incomparable, indestructible, and unconquerable Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, I worship, love, and 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.