Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! —Romans 5:9-10 Thoughts…

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. —Romans 5:8 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Interestingly, the Bible doesn’t ever just say that God loves us. Instead, it says: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this…” (Romans 5:8).   “This is love: not…

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. —Romans 5:6-7 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Christ died for the ungodly. That’s us! We were included in this…

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. —Romans 5:5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Hope has become such a “wimpy” term in modern vocabulary. It hardly qualifies as an adequate translation of the meaning in most New Testament…

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. —Romans 5:3-4 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What are you living to produce with your life? Wealth, fame, status, significance, legacy? How about character? Isn’t having the character of God our real goal in…

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. —Romans 5:1-2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Justified, peace, access, grace,…

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. —Proverbs 10:11 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Do you want to know the difference between a righteous person and a wicked one? Simple! Jesus said to check the fruit of their life. One of the most visible forms…

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. —Psalm 100:5 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We come to the final devotional thought based on Psalm 100:5. The focus is on God’s enduring love and faithfulness that continues through all generations. The genealogy of Matthew 1:1-16 lists the generations…

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. —Psalm 100:4 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… As we continue reflecting on the call to worship in Psalm 100, we realize that today’s exhortation comes from the days when God’s physical Temple was in Jerusalem. For us, God’s…

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. —Psalm 100:3 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… God made us and knew us even when we were unseen in our mother’s womb. He made us with loving care, a purpose for…

Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. —Psalm 100:2 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Let’s not be limited to singing only in church buildings and sanctuaries. Worship is a whole body and heart worship from all of our life (Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 22:36-40), based on our joy for what God has done…

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. —Psalm 100:1 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… With joy, let’s praise and make a joyful noise to the LORD of lords and the King of kings. Let’s do it today! Let’s find short moments during our day, seize them, and use them to give thanks and praise…

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes his steps. —Proverbs 16:9 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We’re now a week and a half into the new year. How are you doing with those changes, commitments, and resolutions you made for this year? Don’t give up or quit on them, even if you’re…

Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he? —Isaiah 2:22 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… “If only I had a friend.” “If only my father hadn’t left.” “If only she was more supportive.” “If only…” Even though we know deep down that people can and will often…

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. —Lamentations 3:25 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Out of the ashes of Jerusalem’s destruction and the disaster that befell God’s people because of their repeated disobedience comes…

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. —Lamentations 3:22-23 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What sustained you through the night? What will get you through today? What will enable you to achieve, even thrive, in the days ahead? The…

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…

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…

…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…

…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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

“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…

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…

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. —1 Corinthians 12:27 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What part of the Body are you? What’s your function? What’s your purpose? How are you blessing others in the Body of Christ? Who is someone in Jesus’ Body who serves…

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. —John 12:26 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… We can’t out-serve, out-love, or out-give Jesus. He longs to bless us. He longs to pour out heaven’s riches and grace upon us. Even more…

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? —Hebrews 12:25 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… As with all the daily verses this year,…

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. —John 12:24 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Jesus announced this truth while recognizing that God had called him to lay down his life so his followers…