Today’s Verse – Mark 9:7
Then a cloud appeared and enveloped [Jesus and his disciples, Peter, James, and John], and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” —Mark 9:7 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Who are you listening to in your life? We can hear all sorts of different voices and listen to all sorts of religious commentary and insight. However, we can follow only One as the Source of all truth and life. Who are we going to listen to as we make our decisions about morality, values, ethics, and character? Who has earned the right to be heard regarding truth, life, death, sin, and salvation? God makes it unmistakably clear at the Mount of Transfiguration: we must listen to his Son Jesus! Moses was amazing, and Elijah was bold and brave. Peter, James, and John were blown away to see them at Jesus’ transfiguration. But God made it clear: we must listen, obey, and follow only one as our source of truth, and God said of him, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” My Prayer… Almighty God, I need the Holy Spirit’s help to silence the voices of dispute, doubt, deception, and demagoguery surrounding me. Help me hear the voice of Jesus above the noise of politicians, influencers, and self-appointed experts of my day. I want to follow Jesus and obey him in all things, no matter what anyone else may choose to do or to whom they entrust their hearts. 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 9:6
[The people of God stood and worshiped him, saying:] “You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.” —Nehemiah 9:6 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God is the Creator! Life is defined in him and by him. The multitudes of heaven worship and adore the LORD for his creative power and love. For me, that means two very important things. I need to give him my heartfelt worship and praise. When I praise God, I am doing something eternal and joining with the host of heaven in worshiping the LORD! You and I won’t take much out of this life into the next, but among those things is our praise to our God and Father. Praise be to God, not just now, but forevermore! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Thank you, dear God, for creating the universe in its incomprehensible expanse. Thank you, holy Father, for re-creating me in Christ so that I can share in your glory as your beloved child. Thank you, almighty LORD, for creating life that endures forever. I look forward to that Day when I see you face to face and praise you with the multitudes of heaven. In Jesus’ name, I praise. 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 9:5
And the Levites … said: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” —Nehemiah 9:5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “Stand up and shout it if you love my Jesus!” That’s a song our children love to sing! But what happens to our youthful exuberance and joy at worshiping the LORD? God doesn’t want us to lose it. Read through the Bible and highlight all the physical acts used to reverence and praise our awesome and eternal God — standing, bowing, kneeling, prostrating, lifting hands, clapping, shouting… and on and on we could go. In a world that regularly uses God’s name in vain, isn’t it time we stood up as believers and praised him for all he has done, is doing, and will do in the future? Shouldn’t we do this not only in church buildings (our private worship) but also in our daily devotional times (our personal worship) and in the way we live daily (our public worship)? Yes! Let’s “Stand up and praise the LORD [our] God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” My Prayer… You alone are God and are worthy of all of my praise. Please receive my praise in my worship, whether I offer it in private with other Christians, in my daily personal worship times, or in my public worship, as I live as an example before my family, friends, and coworkers. Please receive the praise I seek to offer you in my life and through my words. In the name of Jesus, I 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.
Today’s Verse – Acts 9:4-5
[When the light from heaven flashed around him, Saul] fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. —Acts 9:4-5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… When Paul later teaches in his letters that the Church is the Body of Christ (Romans 12:3-4; 1 Corinthians 10:10-16-17; Ephesians 5:23, 29; Colossians 1:18, 24), he isn’t being theoretical. The Church IS Jesus’ presence, his Body alive and at work in the world. What is done to the Church as a collective group of people is done to Jesus. What is done to individual Christians is done to their Savior. Jesus made this clear to Paul, then known as Saul, by emphasizing that Saul’s persecution of believers was also persecution of Jesus — “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Jesus is present in the world today through his people! The saying is true: the only Jesus many will see today is the Jesus they see through you and me. My Prayer… Dear Father, please “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, all His wonderful passion and purity; May His Spirit divine, all my being refine; Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.” In the name of my Savior, I pray. Amen. (From the song by Albert W.T. Orsbom.) 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 9:3
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” —John 9:3 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Let’s ask God to help us view people through the eyes of Jesus so that we will see them as someone in whom the work of God needs to be displayed. When Jesus and his followers approached a man who was blind from birth, the disciples assumed that this misfortune had happened because someone had sinned. Jesus saw their labeling of the man as dehumanizing to the man and a dismissal of his value as a person because they thought he had sinned or his parents had. So, Jesus taught them, and if we pay attention, he teaches us to see a person’s hurt as our opportunity and responsibility to bring God’s grace to someone in need. So, what is this work of God we are to help display in people’s lives? Jesus had answered that question earlier in his ministry: “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:28-29) — Jesus! My Prayer… Father, please help me see the people around me as Jesus does. I want to ensure that your work is done in their lives. Please give me patience with rude people, tenderness with hurting people, and boldness with those who are ready to hear the Good News of Jesus. Use me to help others display your work in their lives! In the name of Christ 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 – Isaiah 9:2
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. —Isaiah 9:2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God fulfilled this great promise of the prophet Isaiah with the coming of John the baptizer and Jesus (Matthew 4:15-16; Luke 1:76-79). Jesus came as the Light of the World (John 9:5) to cast out the darkness of Satan, evil, and death (John 12:31). So, as darkness falls tonight, find a street light and capture it in your memory to remind you to do two things every time you see such a light: Thank God for sending his Light, Jesus, to cast out our darkness. Commit to sharing that Light with those you know trapped in darkness. My Prayer… Loving and eternal God, thank you for shining your Light into my heart through Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:6). I ask you, dear Father, for the Holy Spirit’s help as I use my words and actions to bless those around me. I want them to see the Light of your grace and salvation that Jesus brings. My heart yearns for others to find their hope in him, your Son, our Savior. So, I pray in Jesus’ name, hoping my influence helps others see Jesus more clearly as the Light for their lives. 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 9:1
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. —Psalm 9:1 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The words of Jessie Brown Pound’s old hymn, “Will You Not Tell It Today?” say it best: “If the light of his presence has brightened your way, O will you not tell it today?” Prayerfully select someone who needs to know of the goodness and graciousness of God, then please, lovingly, share Jesus with that person. A heart filled with praise to God will not only praise him but will lead others to do so as well. I can’t think of a better example of this than Andrew, who heard about Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was tell his brother Simon Peter and bring him to Jesus (John 1:40-42). My Prayer… O LORD, I praise you from the bottom of my heart. In addition, dear Father, please bless me today as I seek to bring others to know and honor you more fully by following Jesus. In Jesus’ name, I pray, asking for your power and grace to be with me as I seek to lead others to 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 – Mark 8:31
[Jesus] then began to teach [his disciples] that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. —Mark 8:31 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Knowing Jesus is God’s Messiah is one thing. Following Jesus as our LORD is quite another. Getting our minds, hearts, and lives to line up with Jesus is always a challenge. Once Jesus’ disciples confessed him as the Christ, he knew he had to teach them the real road to glory. Each of the Gospels reminds us that this road led to the cross of agony before it led to the crown of glory. The early church captured it in a song that reminded them that they, too, must walk that same road of the cross as their Savior and LORD walked (see Philippians 2:5-11). We are heaven-bound people, but we can be sure that we will encounter potholes and bumps along the road and face some steep hills to climb as Satan tries to derail and defeat us. Our Savior, however, has already walked this road triumphantly. He is our great reminder that the path of the cross also leads us to share in our LORD’s glory! My Prayer… Dear Father, I know several believers who are struggling to follow Jesus faithfully. I ask that you give them strength and courage to endure. Please use me to encourage them and to help them through this dark time in their lives. May my life and my words point them to Jesus. I want to specifically mention several people by name, people who are struggling… [Insert the names you want to mention.] and ask you to bless them. 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 – John 8:30
Even as [Jesus] spoke, many put their faith in him. —John 8:30 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… While we often talk about Jesus as our LORD and Savior, we can also find it easy to ignore his voice, or worse, hear Jesus’ words and ignore them. Our obedience to what Jesus says demonstrates that we have put our faith in him. To foolishly disobey, ignore, or neglect to do what Jesus says is to show that we don’t believe him to be our LORD to DO what he says to us as our LORD! Jesus promised a very rude awakening at judgment for those who take this attitude (Matthew 7:21-27). So, let’s commit to reading through each of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) before the end of the year. As we read about Jesus’ life and teachings, let’s do it as a search for the heart of Jesus and ask God to help us know him better and follow him more thoroughly and more obediently as the Holy Spirit conforms us to be more like him (2 Corinthians 3:18)! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Be with me, dear Father, as I seek to know Jesus better and obey his words more faithfully as I read your holy Scriptures, which find their center in him. So, I pray for obedience in my daily life in the name of my LORD, Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Man, and my Savior. 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 8:29
“But what about you?” [Jesus] asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” —Mark 8:29 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The sweetest confession any of us will ever make is this: “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and I want him to be LORD of my life.” Let’s repeat it, out loud, to the glory of God the Father: “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and I want him to be LORD of my life.” What other people say about Jesus and what they believe about Jesus is not the focus of the LORD’s question to Peter. Who do I say that Jesus is? Will you answer like Peter? I think we should. So, let’s say it again for the third time: “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and I want him to be LORD of my life.” Now, let’s commit that before the year ends, we will invite someone else to say these words for the first time in their life! My Prayer… Thank you, LORD God Almighty, for having a plan that brought me your Messiah, Jesus. I believe, dear God, that he is your Son, and I want him to be the LORD of my life, and I want him to be my LORD for the rest of my days. I pray this in the name of Jesus, your Son, and my Savior. 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.