Today’s Verse – John 3:28-29
[John the Baptist said when asked if he was the Christ, the Messiah:] “I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” —John 3:28-29 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… John the Baptist is an incredible example of a servant. He lived his life for one central and controlling purpose — to prepare others to recognize, welcome, and follow Jesus Christ as Messiah and LORD. Can you think of a greater purpose for your life? Let’s live so that when our last days approach, we can also say, “That joy is mine, and it is now complete,” because we have prepared the way for Jesus to enter the hearts of those we love and will leave behind when our life is over. The following ToGather video was originally used on Sunday, March 29, 2020, during social distancing practices when many could not assemble. We hope this ToGather video is a blessing! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Holy and Righteous Father, please use me to prepare others to know and to receive Christ Jesus as Messiah and LORD. In his name, the name of Jesus of Nazareth, 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 3:28
[God told Moses to look at the Promised Land, since he was not going to cross this Jordan, then God said:] “Commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.” —Deuteronomy 3:28 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt and in the wilderness but did not get to enter into the Promised Land because of his sin. Yet, for all those years, thankfully, Moses nurtured and prepared the person who would do what he was not allowed to do: lead Israel victoriously into the Promised Land. Joshua was Israel’s new leader for this critical part of the journey and had been groomed, prepared, and shown how to lead by Moses. Joshua is our reminder that we need to be investing in someone who can do what we cannot or will not be able to do! Who are you training, molding, encouraging, motivating, equipping, affirming, and calling to do what you won’t be able to do? What successor do you have to extend the trajectory of your dreams? Who is your Joshua? My Prayer… Holy and Righteous God, please lead me to those with whom you want me to share my life and pass on your faith heritage. Please open my eyes to see them. Please give me the strength to live honestly and courageously before them and do all I can to prepare 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 – Romans 3:27-28
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. —Romans 3:27-28 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God’s salvation leaves us no room for boasting. We couldn’t live up to the righteous demands of the law. We couldn’t live up to the character of God. When we were broken and sinful, God bought our salvation by sending Jesus for us and having him pay the debt of our sins (Romans 5:6-11). We have nothing to boast about except the overwhelmingly generous grace of God and the incredible sacrificial love of our Savior, Jesus. My Prayer… Thank you, Father, for redeeming me from the righteous judgment of the law. Thank you, Jesus, for paying my debt for sin. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for cleansing me, making me holy, and living inside me. Thank you, God, for your incredible 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 – Galatians 3:26-27
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. —Galatians 3:26-27 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What are you wearing today? I hope you are clothed with Christ. Anything else is simply out of style by heaven’s standards, no matter whose designer fashions you may be wearing. You can be clothed with Christ by surrendering your life to Jesus as your Savior through faith (Romans 13:14), believing that he is God’s Son who died for you, and trusting in God’s power that raised him from death to give you life (1 Corinthians 15:1-7; Colossians 2:12; 3:1-4). Confess Christ as your LORD and Savior, trust him for your salvation (Romans 10:9-13) as you share with him in his death, burial, and resurrection through baptism (Romans 6:3-14; Acts 22:16). He promises to send his Spirit to live inside you and to forgive you all of your sins as he gives you new birth into his family (Titus 3:3-7). You will be God’s child and have a home waiting for you in heaven. For those of us who are Christians, these thoughts are a reminder of what God has done for us. If you are not a follower of Christ, the world doesn’t have to be a cold and lonely place; the LORD Jesus can be with you everywhere you go if you respond to him in faith. My Prayer… Father, thank you for providing a way for me to become your child. Thank you for clothing me in Jesus’ righteousness. Thank you for making it possible for me to call you Father and to have Jesus as my older brother. Thank you, dear Father, for 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 – Daniel 3:25
[King Nebuchadnezzar, who had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into the furnace,] said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” —Daniel 3:25 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… I love the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:1-30). Their faith was solid and unwavering whether God chose to save them from the fire or not. God not only saved them, but those who intended to execute them became the key witnesses of their faith and God’s miraculous deliverance of them and presence with them. These three young men showed themselves as sons of the One True God and were examples to all of us when we are tempted to compromise our faith to get along in a society that has lost all respect for the Almighty God and his values. My Prayer… Dear Father in Heaven, please give me the same kind of faith that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego demonstrated! When adversity, persecution, ridicule, and ostracism come, I want my faith to stand up to the test. Thank you, dear Father, for giving me the Bible, my book of heroes who stood their ground and kept their faith, especially under fire. 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 – Galatians 3:24
So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. —Galatians 3:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Galatians repeatedly reminds us that no law can make us righteous or save us, not even the Old Testament Law. However, the law (Torah) does several essential things. The law leads us to Christ, who fulfills and embodies what God intended for his law to do in his people (Matthew 5:17-20). Jesus shows us what God wants his law to look like when we obey it. The law helps us recognize right and wrong, the value of a person, and how God defines a person, marriage, and righteous, as well as unrighteous behaviors. We recognize our failures, imperfections, sins, transgressions, and weaknesses, and through the law, our need for a Savior. Praise God for the Torah, God’s law that shows us the righteous character, gracious compassion, and faithful justice that he displays and desires us to live. Praise God a hundred times more for Jesus, who fulfilled the law’s righteous demands and gave himself as the perfect sacrifice for sins! My Prayer… Thank you, dear Heavenly Father, that the goal of your law was to bring us to Jesus. The law, the Torah, helps me appreciate Jesus’ perfection. It helps me know my sinfulness. Most of all, it helps me realize that Jesus’ sacrifice gives me what the law cannot — your righteousness. Father, I do truly believe with all my heart that Jesus came to die for me and provide me with your life. I thank you in Jesus’ name and because of Jesus’ 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 – Romans 3:23-24
[There is no difference between Jew and non-Jew in regard to righteousness,] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. —Romans 3:23-24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… No matter how hard we try, how good we are, or how much we work, we can never measure up to the only standard that matters — the glorious perfection of Almighty God. Thankfully, God doesn’t require us to pretend to be what we are not yet — perfect, spotless, and holy. Instead, God makes us to be these by grace(Colossians 1:21-23) through the gift of his Son, who purchased our pardon and gave us his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Praise God. Praise our Savior, Jesus Christ. Now let’s live with Jesus as our LORD, not to earn or secure our salvation, but to thank God for what he has so freely given us by his grace in Jesus! My Prayer… Most precious and holy Father, all I can say to your marvelous grace is thank you! Please know that while these words of thank you are woefully inadequate, they are genuine. Dear Father, I look forward to showing you through the rest of my life how much I appreciate all that you have done for me. In Jesus’ glorious 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 3:22
[After Jesus’ baptism by John,] the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” —Luke 3:22 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God spoke these wonderful words to his Son when Jesus was baptized. God feels the same about us when we follow our Savior’s example and are baptized! Jesus pours out his Spirit on us (Titus 3:4-7), guaranteeing that we are God’s children (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14). No matter what Satan may do to make us doubt it (Luke 4:3), we can confidently know that we are God’s beloved children, with whom he is well pleased! Because of the Spirit, we can call God our Abba Father (Galatians 4:6), knowing that the Spirit intercedes for us, making even our inexpressible thoughts known to our Father (Romans 8:26-27). We are God’s children, whom he loves, and he is pleased with us. Ah, now that’s good news! The following ToGather video was originally used on Sunday, March 22, 2020, during social distancing practices when many could not assemble. We are including the ToGather video for your added blessing! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Abba Father, thank you for making me your child and heir of your gracious inheritance. Please bless me with spiritual confidence to withstand the lies of Satan as he tries to make me doubt my relationship with you. Thank you for your Spirit, who helps even now by interceding for me as I pray and strengthens me as I seek 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 – Romans 3:21-22
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. —Romans 3:21-22 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The Old Testament — the Tanakh — looks forward to a new time when law is not the basis of righteousness. The Law and Prophets testify to this time. This righteousness comes from God, which God gave us based on the sacrificial work of Jesus, who liberated us from law and brought us God’s grace. The real issue for us is genuine trust — many today confuse believing with simply thinking something in our heads. However, the Bible defines belief as something that involves our heart’s faith in Jesus, demonstrated by our obedient behavior to the LORD Jesus’ example and teachings (Matthew 7:13-27). So, what is the basis on which you are building your life today? What is the measure of your righteousness? On what is your security tied? Thank God we can trust our life, future, and salvation to Jesus Christ and not law-keeping. As the apostle Paul said: God made [Christ Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). My Prayer… Precious Father, thank you so much for providing me with a Savior in Jesus. Thank you for declaring me righteous through his sacrifice on the cross and my faith in him. Please help me as I entrust my life and salvation to Jesus so that I can exemplify his life and character by how I live. In Jesus’ holy 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 3:20-21
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 3:20-21 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We have far greater power than we often realize. That incredible power is at work within us (Ephesians 1:18-19). This promise of power, however, is tied to two opportunities God gives us daily: Ask God to do great things based on a Spirit-charged imagination. Intentionally live to bring God glory each day. So, let’s ask, imagine, and give God glory. Let’s praise him for what he is doing in our lives. Let’s imagine great things he can do in us, with us, and through us, while expecting him to do far greater things than we ask or even imagine! My Prayer… Dear Father in Heaven, forgive me for limiting your power through my pedestrian dreams, selfish prayers, and short-sighted goals. Awaken my heart to your will and open my eyes to your plans by the power of your Holy Spirit. I ask this in Jesus’ name and for your glory. 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.