Today’s Verse – 2 Corinthians 8:20-21
We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift [of money you have given for the Christians in Jerusalem]. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men. —2 Corinthians 8:20-21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We want to be generous in helping others in need, especially those who are part of our Christian family. Generosity reflects how deeply God’s loving gifts have touched our hearts. At the same time, those who are entrusted with stewardship to lead in this benevolent giving of funds to bless others must carefully heed the example and call of the Apostle Paul. God’s leaders must be circumspect in the way they handle funds contributed by God’s people for efforts to bless others in Jesus’ name. They must take great “pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.” My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for your people who are often very generous to help those in need. Thank you for being generous toward us with your blessings. Thank you for entrusting those blessings to us so we can use them for good. At the same time, dear Father, stir us to deal with the charlatans and money grubbers who masquerade as your servants and steal from you, your people, and the needy who need your blessings. May we, both leaders in charge of such gifts and those who generously give them, be honorable and holy in the sight of all as we use these resources to do your work and generously share your grace. In the name of our LORD and Christ, 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 8:19
When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? —Isaiah 8:19 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We live in an age when people want to mix the contents of many mystical faiths and spirituality into the boiling pot of a self-made pseudo-Christian religion because they added a little Jesus to their mix. Most do not know that the primary claim of Scripture is simple and straightforward: Only God, the Almighty Yahweh, is truly God, and we must worship only the one true and living God (2 Kings 19:19; Nehemiah 9:6; Matthew 4:10). Only he can be trusted. There are other spiritual powers, but these powers lead to despair, death, and destruction. Jesus, as God who came in human flesh (John 1:14-18; Hebrews 1:1-3), triumphed over all these evil powers for us on the cross (Colossians 2:13-15). So we seek God, YAHWEH, the great “I AM” of Israel, the Almighty because we find life in him. All others are false. We should inquire only of our God! My Prayer… Almighty God, you are holy and majestic. You alone are worthy of our worship. Please rekindle our passion to seek you passionately and truthfully. Reawaken us to your glory so the world may know your grace. We long for the people in our time to honor you appropriately as God. We pray that those around us see Your character and grace reflected in who we are, what we do, and how we live for you. May they be drawn to You because of what they see in us. We long for the nations come to know Your peace and honor You alone as LORD. 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 – Romans 8:18
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. —Romans 8:18 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “Life is pain… Anyone who says differently is selling you something.” This line from the movie “Princess Bride” is poignantly accurate. However, it is not eternally accurate! Better days are ahead for those of us who follow Jesus, and these better days are far better than anything we can begin to imagine. As the old song says, “O that will be, glory for me… when by Thy grace I shall look on His face, that will be glory, be glory, for me.” My Prayer… Please, Almighty God, give me the courage and vision to anticipate from afar the ultimate realization of grace that you have waiting for me. I want to fully believe that you are working to bring me home to you and to that glory — a glory that makes all present sufferings insignificant compared to what you will reveal to me and in me. In Jesus’ name, I anticipate this day as 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 – Deuteronomy 8:17-18
You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. —Deuteronomy 8:17-18 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What do we have that wasn’t given to us? Nothing. It came either by God’s generous grace, an unexpected blessing, a disciplining hardship, a providential opportunity, or our good health. And when we stand before the throne of judgment, what will be our claim to grace? Only God’s generous and loving gifts to us through Jesus. This grace has made us pure, holy, and whole! Nothing we possess, accomplish, or buy can give us such a claim. Only God’s generosity, grace, mercy, and love can bring heaven’s greatest gifts to us. As the famous Doxology leads us to sing, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow!” My Prayer… We thank you, dear Father, for your wonderful and extravagant blessings. All that we have, all that we are, and all that we ever hope to be exists only because of the mercy and grace you have lavished upon us. We thank you 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 – Matthew 8:16-17
When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to [Jesus], and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.” —Matthew 8:16-17 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… How does Jesus feel about us when we feel tormented by evil and unfairness? Does he really long to touch our broken bodies when we are sick or have problems? First, when we look at Jesus in the dusk of early evening as he touches the untouchable, we know! Second, when we look to the cross and see Jesus in anguish, we can be confident that he knows and cares about our pain, death, and humiliation. There is also a third place to look: The future when we see him, and he touches and wipes away every tear from our eyes and ends sorrow and death forever. We will then share in his glory and joy for all eternity. We trust Jesus’ grace in our earth-bound existence as mortals, but we know it only in parts and pieces. However, the Day will come when we will know it fully and will experience the ultimate healing and deliverance of Jesus in our immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 13:9-12; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58). Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Holy and Righteous Father, until I realize and experience your Day of ultimate grace, I trust your love and mercy will sustain me through the grace of Jesus, my Savior, and your Son. In his name, Jesus of Nazareth, I pray and hope. 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 – Romans 8:15
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” —Romans 8:15 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God is so holy, so mighty, so awesome, and yet he bids us to call him “Abba Father.” Abba is a term of endearment, familiarity, dependency, and love used by Jewish toddlers to address their fathers. Many Jewish families continue to call the father in the family “abba,” no matter their age or their abba’s age! Through the incredible gift of his Holy Spirit to us, God has given us this ultimate gift of availability, love, companionship, protection, and mighty care. The eternal and almighty God invites us to approach him as our “Abba Father.” Our God, our LORD, the Sovereign ruler of heaven’s armies and Creator of the universe, is also our Abba! My Prayer… Abba Father, thank you for being so close yet so mighty, so accessible yet so holy, so tender yet so trustworthy. Thank you, dear Abba, for allowing me to come to you as your loving child. I pray in Jesus’ name and through the Holy Spirit’s powerful intercession. 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 – Hosea 8:14
Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire upon their cities that will consume their fortresses. —Hosea 8:14 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Please note: We chose these verses over a decade ago. Each reference this year corresponds to its date — 8/14/2024 became Hosea 8:14. This method challenges us to hear verses we often ignore and calls us to adjust our lives and priorities to align with God’s teaching. In prosperity, God’s people left the LORD. They followed the cultural gods around them and engaged in the immorality of that world. The northern tribes, known as Israel at that time, became secular and pagan, like those around them. They lived immoral lives, forgot to care for the poor, overlooked the foreigners among them, cheated widows, mistreated the fatherless, and took advantage of the powerless (Amos 5:9-15). God’s prophets, Amos and Hosea, denounced these vices. God saw and knew their sins. The Sovereign LORD wanted the northern tribes of Israel to recognize they had caused their coming destruction. Their hard hearts and their repeated refusal to live with God’s character (Deuteronomy 10:14-22) led to their obliteration. As Christians, part of God’s chosen people and his holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-12), we must heed the warning of Israel’s history. Our lives must portray his values, our hearts must display his compassion, and our hands must do his will, or our claims are meaningless, and our future is tenuous. We must seek the LORD and live, not all the false props of pseudo-religious practices that ignore the heart of God (Amos 5:1-27). My Prayer… Father, forgive us, for we have sinned. Father, forgive me, for I have sinned. We have too often looked the other way and ignored social, judicial, and racial injustice. Empower me, dear LORD, empower us to truly be your holy people, bound together by our faith in Jesus — not by our race, age, nationality, political preferences, or socioeconomic status. Please connect us back to you and to each other through our praise and our actions that exemplify your character and grace to our divided and often hate-filled world. 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 – Romans 8:13-14
For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. —Romans 8:13-14 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Living a life of purity is a daily battle, an ongoing war between our flesh and the Spirit of God working to re-create us to be like Christ. Without the power of the Spirit, our willpower eventually fails. But because of the Spirit’s power at work within us, we can overcome our failures in the flesh and progress toward our goal of Christlikeness (Colossians 1:28-29), which the Holy Spirit assures (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). We choose to live by the power of the Holy Spirit as the children of God and those destined to share in his glory because of his grace to us in Jesus and Jesus pouring the Holy Spirit out on us and into us (Titus 3:3-7)! My Prayer… Forgive me, Father, for the times when I’ve willingly let my flesh win out over the call of your Spirit. Thank you for cleansing me with the Spirit’s holy fire and drawing me onward to be more like my Savior. Today, I intentionally offer you my heart for the Holy Spirit to empower me past sin as the Spirit molds me to be more and more like 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 – John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” —John 8:12 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… After stumbling around in the dark as I watered my yard recently, I decided it wasn’t worth the risk, so I found a flashlight so I wouldn’t meet any unexpected “critters” as I walked through old dead leaves, stepped in mulch-filled flower beds, and reached through the shrubbery to turn my faucets on and off. (I live in a wooded area with venomous snakes!) However, my joy over a flashlight to light my way at night is nothing compared to finding Jesus. Jesus, “the Light of the world,” is also my Light! He illuminates my heart on my darkest nights, my future with his coming glory, my path with his words of truth, and my hope with the dawning of each Sunday and its weekly reminder of Jesus’ triumph over the grave. Jesus is my “Light of life”: How about you? My Prayer… Father, dear precious and holy God, how can I ever thank you for the Light of my life? Until my face reflects the light of your glory from being in your eternal presence, Jesus will light my way through this dark world. Thank you for sending your Light so I could find your life! I praise and thank you in the name of Jesus, the Light of the world. 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 – Romans 8:11
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. —Romans 8:11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The Holy Spirit doesn’t just empower us now (Ephesians 3:14-21) — for sure, he does provide us power and strength, insight and guidance — but the Holy Spirit’s work is not just powerful now, giving life to our “mortal bodies”. The Spirit is also our guarantee for our future (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5) and our assurance that we will see God face to face (1 John 3:1-2) and share in his glory (Colossians 3:1-4). The Spirit is alive in us “as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies,” and promises us life that never will end in the presence of the Father, and with the Son, because of the Holy Spirit. My Prayer… O God and Father of all nations and races, thank you for your Spirit who is my guarantee that you will raise me from the dead and empowers me right now. As I look forward to that great day, I know I will join Jesus in your presence forever. So, dear Father, I praise you in Jesus’ name, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I thank you as I anticipate that great day and live for you today. 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.